


This Much

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: BDSM, Drama, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-10-30
Updated: 2003-10-30
Packaged: 2017-11-01 04:58:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/352179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Having a manipulative father can sometimes produce favorable results.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Much

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback and constructive criticism of ALL kinds are appreciated. Many thanks to Grey for listening to my griping and moaning through the many stages of writing this fic. If I had to pick a song as a theme for this story, it'd be Hanging by a Moment by Lifehouse. Love that song. 

## This Much

by XFreak

<http://www.e-fic.com/~xfreak/>

* * *

Disclaimers: All things Smallville belong to Gough & Millar, Tollin/Robbins Productions, Warner Bros. Television, and probably some other people I've missed. No copyright infringement is intended. This work of fiction is purely for enjoyment and no money is being made from it. 

Warnings: m/m, BDSM themes (minimal) 

* * *

This Much  
by XFreak  
x_freak@fastmail.fm 

* * *

"Oh. Hi, Mr. Luthor." 

Lionel Luthor leaned on his cane and turned his head toward Clark's voice. "Who's there?" 

"Clark Kent." His lips thinned at the way his own voice shook. Lionel Luthor made him nervous, but not because he was a powerful man or because his father hated him. He made him nervous because he was Lex's dad. 

A smile ghosted the older man's lips. "Ah yes, the boy who speaks his mind." 

"About that. I want to apologize." 

"A word of advice, young Mr. Kent. Apologies make one appear weak. Avoid them if at all possible." 

"I'll... keep that in mind." 

"You do that." Lionel reached out and after a couple of misses patted Clark on the shoulder. 

"Is Lex here?" 

"Yes, down in the dungeon." 

"You have a dungeon?" 

"Well, I don't use it, but Lex seems quite fond of it." He snapped his fingers. "Frederick!" 

A well-dressed man appeared almost out of nowhere. "Mr. Luthor?" 

"Show this young man to the dungeon." 

A slight hesitation, the man asked, "Are you quite certain?" 

The sneer backed Clark up a step. "Do I generally speak without certainty?" 

"My apologies, sir." 

"Weakling," Lionel muttered under his breath as he disappeared into one of the many huge rooms. 

* * *

On the way down the concrete steps into the dungeon, the air grew cool and damp. As they neared the bottom, Clark puzzled over numerous slapping sounds, each followed by a scream. His protective instinct on alert, he barely noticed Frederick retreat back up the stairs almost as if his feet were on fire. 

Stepping toward the lighted portion of the large room, heat suffused Clark's chest as he took in the scene and he cleared his throat to regain his composure. 

Lex whirled at the sound, face and bare chest gleaming with sweat. 

"Clark! What are you doing down here?" 

Before he answered, his eyes roamed Lex's body. Finely boned bare feet led up to denim and leather clad legs. Naked above the waist, Lex donned a leather arm band around his left bicep. Clark followed that arm down to a whip with many leather straps that hung from long fingers. "Frederick brought me." 

"I'll have him fired," Lex snarled, the man behind him totally forgotten. 

Clark shook his head, trying to clear the daze spinning a web around his brain. "Your father told him to bring me." 

"My fath--" Narrowing his eyes, Lex nodded, smirking. "Dad likes to keep me off balance." 

"What's going on?" Gesturing toward the bound man, Clark took in the angry red marks coloring his back. 

"Hamilton depends on friends who know the meaning of the word discrete." Lex stepped forward and placed a hand at the small of Clark's back, slowly shepherding him back toward the stairs. 

"So..." Undeterred, Clark leaned around Lex and peeked at the man again. "...he wants you to beat him?" 

"Are you sure you're ready for the answer?" 

Clark nodded, meeting his friend's steady blue gaze. 

"He wants me to force him into submission." 

"Submission." 

"Yes. Think about it. If you have questions, I'll be glad to discuss them with you later. But I have to get back. I can't just leave in the middle of a session." 

"I can't stay?" 

A sad smile playing at the edges of his lips, Lex shook his head. "Dad has already grossly breached Hamilton's privacy." His voice grew cold. "I'll speak with him about it later." 

Clark nodded, reaching for the handrail as he lifted his leg to perch on the first step. 

"Clark?" 

He turned back to his friend. "Yeah?" 

"Did you need something?" 

"Huh?" 

"You obviously came to see me." Hamilton momentarily forgotten, Lex took a step closer. "Is everything all right?" 

"Oh." Clark shrugged. "I just wanted to see if you had time to shoot some pool." His lips curled into a mischievous smile. "But I can see you've got your hands full." 

"Okay, then. See you later?" 

"Sure," he agreed before jogging up the long flight of stairs without so much as a huffed breath. 

* * *

Lex stealthily approached his father's chair. "Do you want to tell me what the hell you were thinking sending Clark into the dungeon?" He congratulated himself on the utter calm in his voice. 

Jumping, Lionel choked on his drink and spilled it on his lap. 

"You're slipping, Dad. There was a time when I couldn't make a move without your knowledge." 

"I'm blind, Lex." 

"Please. Spare me the pity party and answer the question." 

Lionel smiled, his expression proud. "I've taught you well." 

"Yes. Now, focus." 

Leaning heavily on his cane, Lionel stood and faced the direction of his son's voice. "The boy is quite obviously in love with you. I thought he might like to see what he's getting himself into." 

"Don't you think it's up to me to show him these things in the event that I decide to pursue a relationship?" 

"A relationship? Bed the boy and send him on his way." 

"One thing I will never do, Dad, is accept romantic advice from a man who can't keep his dick in his pants for more than thirty seconds. There is more to life than getting laid." 

"Oh?" Lionel arched a brow. 

"And I'm not going to waste time trying to explain it to someone who lacks the capacity to understand any emotion that is not self-serving." 

"You are developing quite a sharp tongue, Lex. Young Mr. Kent must be rubbing off on you." 

"You'd like to think so, wouldn't you?" Before his father had a chance to reply, Lex excused himself and headed for a shower. He didn't even bother discussing the breach of privacy on Hamilton's behalf. Having neither the energy nor the inclination, he decided to pursue it at a later date. 

* * *

Lex wasn't used to people making him nervous. But as Clark opened the door to his office, he had to force himself to exude the appearance of calm despite the butterflies fluttering in his stomach. "I'll have to call you back," he matter-of-factly stated into his cell phone, not waiting for a reply before disconnecting. 

"Hey, Lex." Clark fiddled with the seam on the leg of his jeans, unable to hold his friend's gaze. 

"Something on your mind, Clark?" 

"Um, not really." The younger man laughed nervously and smiled, a diversionary tactic that Lex had become quite accustomed to. "Wanna shoot some pool?" 

"You're a terrible liar." 

Clark's face flushed suddenly and completely. "I'd better go." He said the words but remained rooted to the spot where he stood in front of Lex's desk. 

Lex took the opportunity to walk around and perch himself in front of the younger man. "It's about yesterday, isn't it?" 

Nodding, Clark met his gaze and quickly looked away. 

"If anyone should be embarrassed, it's me." 

"But you're not." Clark's tone sounded almost distressed on the last word. 

"And you know this how?" 

Clark glanced at him and then away again. "Well, you're not blushing, not even a little." 

"I rarely blush." 

"You're not flustered." 

"Do you recall me ever being flustered around you, Clark?" 

"No," he crooned with a little more force than necessary, almost bitterly. 

"Would you rather I was?" 

"Yes. No. I don't know." 

"Tell me what's on your mind." 

"I... can't." 

Lex spread his thighs and reached forward to take Clark's hand, Clark's trembling hand. He pulled the younger man forward until he stood even with Lex's knees, but not between them. "Perhaps I can help you with that." 

"How?" Clark almost desperately asked, speaking toward Lex's lap. 

"My father thinks you're in love with me. Is that true?" 

Clark froze, not even breathing for a long moment. "Would it bother you if it was?" 

Lex chuckled. "Do you mean am I a small-minded homophobic asshole? The answer is no." After a moment, he added another thought. "And even if you were, hypothetically speaking of course, in love with me, that doesn't necessarily mean that you would want to do anything about it." 

"I don't, I mean I wouldn't, hypothetically speaking, want to lose your friendship." 

"Can we dispense with the hypothetical scenarios? Why would you lose my friendship?" 

"It doesn't... weird you out?" 

Smiling, Lex wanted to kiss this man child. "I can say with certainty that the thought of you being in love with me does not 'weird me out'." 

"And if I wanted to do something about it?" 

"Do you?" 

"You didn't answer my question." 

"Clark, this is not a hypothetical situation. We're moving into a whole new arena. With the age difference--" 

"I knew it!" Clark jerked his hand away and looked for all the world like a child who'd been trying to get the world to understand that he was a man. "You think I'm some stupid kid." 

Lex continued as if his best friend had not just thrown an immature tantrum right in front of him. "I need to be sure this is what you want before I do anything at all." 

Clark's head snapped up. "You mean?" 

Pinning the younger man with a meaningful glare, Lex spoke firmly. "The tantrums have got to go. They are not the least bit sexy." 

"You think-- you think I'm sexy?" 

"I think you're very sexy." Clark rushed toward him, almost hesitant as he embraced Lex. 

Eyes fluttering closed, Lex realized that he had finally lost the battle, never willing to allow himself to give too much thought to just how much he wanted this. Finally, he croaked, "Clark!" 

"What?" he asked, pulling back with a goofy grin. 

"Would you mind letting me breathe?" 

"Oh, sorry." He loosened his hold, but kept his arms draped around Lex`s torso. "Are you okay?" 

While Clark waited for an answer, Lex gripped a very well defined forearm and thought it should be against the law for any Kansas farm boy to be built like this. "I'm all right." 

"Good." Clark smiled and pecked him on the cheek before heading for the door. 

Sighing, Lex said to no one in particular, "That went well." He needed to teach Clark the proper way to say good-bye to one's new significant other. 

* * *

Clark looked up as the door to the Talon opened. Smiling as he recognized the man entering, he scooted his chair back from the table. "I'll be right back." 

Pete, Chloe, and Lana didn't give it a second thought, used to him jumping up anytime Lex entered a room. 

"Lex." 

The older man turned toward him, perpetual smirk firmly in place. "Clark." 

"You got a minute?" 

Lex made a show of glancing at his watch. "I believe so." 

"Asshole." 

A gentle smile curved the older man's lips slightly. "What's on your mind?" 

Touching Lex's elbow, Clark led him to the stairwell so they could speak semi-privately. "I wanted to apologize for taking off so fast yesterday." Clark sort of bounced on his toes. "I was just a little, well, excited." 

"Don't worry about it." Lex looked up at him through his lashes. "You can make it up to me." 

"When?" 

"Come by the mansion tonight. We'll have dinner." 

"Cool," Clark said, smiling. "Do me a favor?" 

Quirking a brow, Lex gave the younger man his full attention. 

"Wear jeans. They look good on you." 

"I'll keep that in mind. See you tonight." He patted Clark on the back before walking to the counter to order his coffee. 

When Clark returned to his friends, Chloe gave him a funny look. "What?" 

"What's with the cloak and dagger act?" 

"Guy stuff," Clark answered, using his finger to find his place in the history book he'd been studying. He glanced up at her and saw that she was letting it go for the moment. That didn't necessarily comfort him. 

* * *

Palms sweating and hands trembling, Clark followed Frederick into the leisure room. Lex stood with his back to them clad in faded blue jeans and a cream colored mock turtleneck. Clark thought both accented his shape very well. 

As Frederick excused himself, Lex turned, one brow quirking as he looked pointedly at the duffel bag hanging from Clark's fingers. "What's with the bag?" 

"Uh, well, I was hoping to change clothes." 

Lex moved closer, the flames from the fireplace glinting off the translucent burgundy beverage in his hand as he raised it to his lips for a sip. "Something wrong with the ones you're wearing? I rather like them." 

Shrugging, Clark dropped the bag to the floor. "I just wanted to look nice. You always look so... perfect." He circled the older man, searching for a tag on the jeans. 

Looking back over his shoulder, Lex's eyes glittered with amusement. "Having fun?" 

"You had these made, didn't you? Haven't you ever just gone to the local discount store and picked up a pair?" 

Lex frowned. "Why on earth would I do that? I have three tailors on my payroll." 

Clark sighed, his expression that of fond exasperation. "I know this is a novel concept for you, but saving money is viewed by some as a good thing." 

"Brat." 

Clark's only response was a gentle smile. 

* * *

A bit overwhelmed by the Luthor formal dining room, Clark blinked and looked at the high ceiling as he spread his napkin over his lap. His focus returning to his friend, he said, "You know, when you invited me to dinner, I was expecting something a little less formal." 

In the process of cutting a bite of his steak, Lex paused, his eyes the only things that moved. "Are you uncomfortable?" 

Clark shook his head as he rubbed his palms on his thighs. "It's not that. I just..." 

When the younger man spoke no more, Lex laid his silverware down and joined his hands loosely. "Yes?" 

"Well, you're all the way down there." Clark gestured at the massive amount of food spread out on the elongated table the like of which he'd only seen on television. "I keep expecting your father to come in and ask me what my intentions are." 

Lex quirked a half-smile as he picked up his plate, his bare feet almost silent as he padded toward Clark. After relocating his silverware, napkin, and drink, he sat next to the other man. "Better?" 

Smiling, Clark nodded. "Much." 

"And just for your information, my father is quite dismayed that my intentions toward you are not entirely dishonorable." 

A slow grin spread across Clark's lips. "Really?" 

"Romantic 'entanglements' as he calls them are foolish. He treats relationships much like business transactions." 

"And your mother?" 

The tiny lines around the edges of Lex's mouth were the only indication that the question made him uncomfortable. "I'm afraid Mom spent the majority of her married life heartbroken." 

Clark placed a hand over Lex's, the fist under his palm balled tightly. "I'm sorry." 

His relaxed expression incongruous with the tight fist, Lex shrugged lightly. "The past is the past. Dwelling on it gets one nowhere." He turned his hand over and gave Clark's a quick squeeze before pulling free and attacking his food with renewed vigor. 

"You don't have to hide from me, you know." 

Lex paused, his bite nearly to his mouth. Closing his lips, he lowered his fork. "I could say the same to you." 

Clark fidgeted with his silverware and looked away. 

Reaching over and gently turning the other man's head back toward him, Lex spoke quietly. "We all have secrets, things we're not comfortable discussing. Don't expect me to reveal mine when you keep so many tucked away yourself." 

"Lex--" 

"Clark, it's okay. I understand secrets." 

"But it's not that I don't trust you. I want to tell you everything, I just can't." 

"Can't, won't, what's the difference?" 

Clark sighed. "This is getting us nowhere. I was just saying that if you want to talk, I'm here." 

Nodding, Lex elegantly slid a bite off his fork, licking his lips as he chewed. After he swallowed, he spoke. "Thank you for not telling me I can trust you. When people feel the need to tell me that, they automatically go on the 'be wary of' list." 

Meaningfully meeting his friend's eyes, Clark said, "Trust has to be earned." 

Lex smirked. "I couldn't agree more." 

* * *

Clark sat on the comfortable love seat, Lex's fingers running through his hair, the touch very soothing and arousing at the same time. "You know, I was supposed to be making it up to you for leaving so fast yesterday." 

The hand in his hair hesitated only momentarily before continuing the relaxing motion, almost massaging his scalp. "I remember." 

"Have you changed your mind about..." 

"About what?" Lex reached for his glass of wine, taking a sip before returning it to the small table in front of them. 

"Can I have a glass of wine?" 

"No." 

Clark looked sharply at his friend hopefully turned lover. "No?" 

Chuckling softly, Lex palmed the back of Clark's head. "What? You think I'm incapable of saying no to you just because you're the most beautiful creature I've ever had the pleasure to lay eyes upon?" 

"Uh..." 

"You can have a sip of my wine, but I will not contribute to the delinquency of a minor by serving you booze anytime you want it." 

"Okay." Clark waited, hoping. He attempted to suppress his smile as Lex picked up the goblet and titled it against his lips. 

Turning away to set the glass back down, Lex missed the frown on Clark's face. "What do you think?" 

"I think you can have it. Yuck!" His heart leapt in his chest at more of Lex's quiet laughter. 

"Lex? Is that you?" 

Clark sighed as Lex's posture stiffened, the mood broken. "Dad, can it wait? I'm entertaining a guest." 

"So, you've decided to give up on wooing young Mr. Kent?" 

Swiping his glass off the table as he stood and headed toward the fireplace, Lex grunted, "Say hello to my father." 

"Uh, hello, Mr. Luthor." 

"Mr. Kent?" 

"Call me Clark," he answered uncertainly. 

Lionel dismissed him. "So I see you insist upon this foolishness." 

"What Clark and I do is none of your business, Dad. And I'd appreciate it if you'd leave us to enjoy the rest of our evening." 

"Very well," Lionel scoffed. 

Frowning at Lionel's retreating back, Clark quietly rose from his seat and walked toward Lex. Before he reached him, however, Lex drew his hand back and threw his glass into the fireplace with a force that shattered it instantly. The liquid sizzled as the flames lapped it up. 

Clark wrapped his arms around the tense form of his friend. "Good thing there are no meter maids nearby." 

A surprised bark of laughter escaped from Lex and he turned in Clark's arms. "How do you always know just what to say?" 

The question must have been rhetorical because before Clark could reply, Lex tilted his head up and sealed their lips. Clark moaned and tightened his arms around the other man, who tapped him on the cheek before pulling back. 

"It's not a competition. Slide your tongue across mine like you're caressing me, not wrestling me." 

Flushing in the firelight, Clark nodded. He leaned forward and closed his lips over the other man's, following his instructions, rewarded with an answering moan. 

When they broke apart, Clark licked his lips, a little breathless. "Better?" 

"Yeah. You haven't done much kissing, have you?" 

Clark wished he could just crawl under the love seat and hide. "No." 

The words full of promise erased his shame. "I'll teach you." 

"O-okay." He reveled in Lex's arms around his neck, sliding his own palms up and down the other man's back. "I was beginning to think that you'd changed your mind about being with me." 

A quizzical expression crossed Lex's face. "Why?" 

"Because you hadn't kissed me." 

"I was waiting for the right moment to present itself." 

* * *

Clark sat on a lounge chair in one of Lex's leisure rooms. And, yes, he had several. Just being around Lex's stuff made him comfortable and content, especially when he heard the man's footsteps coming down the hall. 

"Why are you playing that dinky little thing? I bought a PS2 and a large screen TV." 

Nodding his head toward the show in progress on said screen, Clark continued playing his Game Boy Advance game. "Just because The Two Towers is my favorite game doesn't mean I'm any good at it. Besides, Chloe's found some expose she must watch." 

Inclining his head toward the other teen's back, Lex nodded. He stepped closer to Clark's friend. "Ms. Sullivan. How are you?" 

Her eyes lit up as she dragged them away from the large screen. "Good, Mr. Luthor. Thanks for inviting us over." 

Lex looked over at him dryly and Clark could feel his face growing hot. "No problem. Any friend of Clark's..." 

The older man walked back to Clark, a smirk firmly in place. "Not that I mind, but exactly when did I develop amnesia?" 

Giving up on his game, Clark slid the power to "off" and tossed it on a cushion. He spoke very quietly. "I figured if Mom thinks you invited us both, she's not as likely to get as suspicious about me spending so much time with you." 

"I see." 

"I can't lie to her, Lex. She'd see right through me." 

"Meanwhile, I'm either shot at the hands of your father or the bitch of some guy named 'Bubba' so you can be honest with your mother." He nodded, his tone sarcastic. "Makes perfect sense to me." 

Clark leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, eyes pleading. "Don't be mad." 

"I suddenly have a headache. I think I should have stayed at the beanery." 

"Lex." 

The smile was tight. 

"Enjoy your evening, Clark." 

* * *

Quietly treading across the floor, Clark situated himself on the hardwood a few inches away from Lex's feet. The owner of the feet lifted the arm covering his eyes and peered down at him. 

"You still mad?" 

Lex sighed. "I shouldn't have gotten angry. It's been a long day." 

"Careful. Your father might think you're apologizing." Rewarded with a sharp look, Clark wisely shut his mouth. 

"I don't recall being the one to assume he was welcome to bring friends over without asking first." 

"I'm sorry." Clark traced invisible designs on the varnished wood next to him. "I just wanted to be..." He shook his head, drawing his knees close to his body and resting his chin on them. "...never mind." 

Lex straightened, his expression softening. "You wanted what?" 

"It's stupid." 

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" 

Sighing, Clark scratched the back of his head. "I just wanted to be in your house. It makes me feel good being around your stuff even if you're not here." 

Blinking, Lex suddenly looked away and cleared his throat. 

"I told you it was stupid." Clark moved to get up, but Lex unexpectedly slid down onto the floor opposite him, sitting in a lotus position. 

"I think that's the nicest thing anybody's ever said to me." Lex grazed the back of his fingers over Clark's cheek and kissed him briefly. "Thank you." 

Clark looked skeptical. "You're not mad anymore?" 

"How could I be? Only you could take the day from hell and turn it around." 

"Really?" 

"I'm sorry I got angry earlier." Leaning in, Lex placed a lingering kiss on Clark's lips. "I'll try to do better." 

"I shouldn't have been so presumptuous. I will do better." 

Lex shook his head, reaching over and taking Clark's hand into his own. "You and your friends are welcome here anytime." 

"And here I thought you couldn't get any more perfect." 

Mischief glinted in Lex's blue eyes. "I do try." 

* * *

As soon as Clark stepped into Lex's house, a pair of lips attached themselves to his. Lex pushed him against the wall, devouring his mouth, hands dancing from his shoulders to his cheeks, finally sinking into his hair and cradling his skull. 

Breathless as they broke apart, Clark licked his lips and swallowed. "Hi." 

He'd never seen that particular smile on Lex's face before. Lex was almost... beaming. "Hey. I have a surprise for you." Taking Clark's hand in his own, he led them toward the stairs. 

"Were you standing there waiting for me to get here?" 

Lex affected his most business-like expression. "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about." 

Clark's voice hardly contained the breathy laughter. "You were pining for me." 

Stopping in his tracks, Lex looked Clark square in the eyes. "I do not pine." 

Laughing, Clark nodded. "Yeah, okay." Anybody else might have bought the act, but he knew his friend too well for that. "So what's this surprise?" 

"That's why they call it a surprise. You have to wait and see." Smirking, Lex led Clark up the steps into a bedroom adjacent to his own. 

When they crossed the threshold, Lex released his hand and let him admire the room. As great as it was, it was just a room. There was no Lex personality in this room. 

"Check out the closet." 

Nodding, Clark walked into said closet and his breath caught. Clothes, miles and miles of clothes, hung in perfectly coordinated outfits, shoes to match along the floor. Shoes way too big for Lex to wear. 

Breathless from something entirely different than a kiss, Clark rushed toward the other man. "What is this?" 

An almost indifferent shrug. "You said you wanted to look nice. I figured this way you wouldn't have to tote a duffel bag around." 

"But Lex, there are tons of outfits in there. That closet is bigger than my whole room!" 

Uncertainty flitted across Lex's face for a second before the normal calm assurance replaced it. "You don't like it?" 

"Like it? Lex, that's not the point. You can't do anything small. Everything you do, you go way overboard." 

Lex frowned. "I do?" 

Nodding, Clark stepped closer and rested a hand on the back of his friend's neck to erase the hesitant expression. "Like when I said I'd like to rent The Two Towers for PS2 sometime. The very next time I came over, there it was, still in the shrink wrap." 

"You said you wanted it..." 

Clark shook Lex lightly. "You can't just go around buying people everything they want." 

Storm clouds brewed in the blue eyes. "Why not?" 

Shaking his head, Clark kissed Lex's forehead. "It's not that I don't appreciate the thought. I do." 

"I should hope so. Dad wasn't the least bit pleased at being moved to the third master bedroom." 

"It's just too much," Clark quietly said as if he hadn't heard the last sentence. "You have three master bedrooms?" 

"Yes. One for Dad, one for Mom, and one for me. Not that we ever actually lived here. The largest one is mine now and the smallest is his." 

"Your parents didn't sleep together?" 

Lex's lips narrowed before he turned away. "No. I told you that not every marriage is quite as Rockwellian as Jonathan and Martha Kent's." 

Clark's heart constricted. He embraced the other man from behind, careful not to squeeze too hard. "I love you." 

Lex rubbed a hand across his forearm, head resting back on his shoulder. "I know." 

* * *

Still pouting slightly, Lex crossed his arms over his chest. "I thought you'd be pleased. I had Frederick purchase all the clothes at a department store." 

Clark barked a laugh. "Is that the Luthor version of a discount store?" 

Looking sheepish, Lex shrugged. 

"You're hopeless. You know that, right?" 

A lopsided grin curved Lex's lips. "But you love me anyway, right?" 

Clark smiled. "Yeah, I do." 

Lex's eyes glittered with mischief. "Good, because I have another surprise for you." He got up and trotted away only to return almost as an afterthought. "Wait here. I'll be right back." 

When he returned, he presented Clark with a gift-wrapped box from one of Metropolis' finer department stores. Of course. 

Clark sighed, shaking his head as he tore the wrap. Opening the box, he pulled out one of the softest red sweaters he'd ever seen, or felt. 

The energy almost sizzled from Lex's skin. "I picked that out myself." 

Pushing away from the table, Clark closed in on Lex, a stern expression firmly in place. He hooked a hand behind Lex's head, pulling him close for a tender kiss. When they broke, he mumbled, "I love it. Thank you." 

Lex tilted his head to the side, skeptical. "You're not angry?" 

Clark pointed to the opened box. "This kind of gift is acceptable, Lex. Not a whole department store." 

Nose wrinkling, Lex's eyes gleamed. "You really like it?" 

"Yeah, I really do." 

* * *

Pete blinked the sweat from his eyes, huffing from exertion. "You're letting me win." 

Shrugging, Clark palmed the basketball between his hands. "Yeah, well." 

"And I used to think you were no good." 

A modest smile played at Clark's lips before his expression turned thoughtful. "I need a favor." 

"Yeah?" 

"You know my new sweater?" 

Pete nodded. 

"I want to tell Mom and Dad that you gave it to me." 

"Clark Kent wants to lie to his parents?" 

Frowning, Clark looked around to make sure they were alone. "Of course not." 

"Who gave it to you?" 

Clark's expression softened. "Lex." 

"You know, you've been talking about him an awful lot lately. Don't take this the wrong way, but are you two..." 

Something akin to fear shone in Clark's expressive eyes. "It's just that if I tell my dad that Lex gave it to me, he'll want me to give it back and I don't want to hurt Lex's feelings." 

"You're with Lex Luthor?" Pete snapped. 

Clark flinched and they both jumped as the basketball between his hands exploded. "I thought I could trust you with this." He tossed the flattened ball into a garbage can as he moved to walk away. "Apparently I was wrong." 

"Clark, wait." 

He stopped, but did not face his friend. 

"Are you for real?" 

A bitter laugh escaped Clark's lips, his eyes glittering with anger as he regarded his friend. "You're giving me that look again, Pete." 

"No shit." 

"So, you can deal with the fact that I'm not human, but not with the fact that I might like guys?" 

Pete took one step back, hands raised in a placating gesture. "I don't know. After a quiet moment, he asked, "Are you into guys in general or just him?" 

Sighing, Clark placed his hands on denim clad hips. "I've looked at guys before, but he's the first one that I thought it might be worth this crap to be with." 

"And is it? Worth it, I mean." 

"So far, yeah." Clark's eyes challenged him. 

"What about me?" 

Clark shook his head. "What about you?" 

"Have you ever looked at me that way?" 

"You're my best friend, Pete, at least you were. You know where to find me." 

"You didn't answer my question." 

Sighing, Clark crossed his arms over his chest. "You're going to make me say this, aren't you?" 

Pete grinned, bouncing once on his toes. "'Fraid so." 

"I've always thought you were good looking. Have I ever lusted after you?" Clark shook his head. "I knew you didn't swing that way, so I spared myself the grief of thinking about it." 

Pete watched his friend disappear around the yellow farmhouse. As he dug for his keys, his head swam with confusion. 

* * *

"Lex?" 

Lionel Luthor turned toward the voice, drink in hand. "Who's there?" 

"Clark." 

"Ah, yes. The farm boy who thinks he actually has something to offer my son." 

"I love your son." 

"Love is a luxury that Lex cannot afford." 

"Lex is a grown man. Why don't you butt out and let him live his own life?" He didn't realize he'd raised his voice until the object of his affection spoke. 

"Clark?" 

He leaned into the touch as Lex moved to his side, placing a palm against the small of his back. 

"Leave us, Dad." 

The older man harrumphed as he left the room. 

Lex led Clark over to his desk where he seated himself on top of the glass surface, reaching for Clark's hand and pulling him closer. "What's wrong?" 

Clark placed a hand on each of Lex's knees. "Pete knows about us." 

"Oh?" 

"I'm sorry." Clark met Lex's gaze, glancing away quickly. "I didn't mean to tell him. I just wanted him to tell Mom and Dad he gave me the sweater." 

Lex's breath caught. "The one I gave you?" 

Realizing what he'd said, Clark regarded his friend, making note of the unreadable expression. "It's not what you think." 

Hiding behind a mask of indifference, Lex's appearance remained calm. "What is it then?" 

"You know how my dad feels about your father. I was afraid if he found out you gave it to me, he'd make me give it back." 

"I see." The mask relaxed a bit. 

"And I really want to keep it." 

Clark closed his eyes blissfully as warm palms cupped his cheeks. "You can't start lying to your parents. I don't want to cause dishonesty in your family." 

"You didn't. Your father did." 

"You know what my father did to your dad." 

Looking down through the surface of Lex's desk, Clark shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it." 

The hands disappeared from his face. "What's gotten you so upset?" 

Gathering his thoughts, Clark barely registered Lex's alarmed voice. The other man's hands pushed at his own. "Clark! You're hurting me." 

Belatedly, he released Lex's knees, only then realizing he'd been squeezing. "I'm sorry." 

Rubbing the offended knees, Lex's expression held no censure. "It's okay." 

"Did I--?" 

"There'll probably be bruises, nothing more." 

"Lex..." 

"You're very strong, Clark. You need to be careful with other people." 

"I know. I'm sorry. Maybe your father was right." 

Lex frowned. "About what?" 

Crossing his arms over his chest, Clark emotionally shielded himself. "Maybe I'm not good enough for you. Maybe I'm just kidding myself." 

"You know that's not true." 

"Do I?" He took a step back. "I've told you that I love you three times now, but I have yet to hear anything from you." 

"Clark." Lex reached for his hand, drawing him closer. "I don't even know if I'm capable of love in the conventional sense. Love was not an acceptable emotion in the Luthor world." 

His heart heavy, Clark felt like someone had clamped a hand over his mouth and nose, stealing his breath. 

"What I do know, though, is that I care for you very deeply. I would have thought that would have been obvious by now." 

"Maybe to someone from your world." 

"Clark, I never meant to make you feel inadequate. I just try not to say things I don't mean. I won't tell you I love you until I'm certain that's what I'm feeling." 

"But you told me you've been in love twice before." 

Lex shook his head. "I said I've loved two women. But what I feel for you is different than what I've felt for anyone else. It's so much richer, somehow fuller." 

A slow smile warmed Clark's lips. "That sounds like love." 

A half-grin turned up one corner of Lex's mouth. "Quite honestly, it's a bit scary." 

Clark laughed, a truly happy sound. "Yeah, it is. It's a whole different feeling when the person loves you back." 

"I still didn't say it." 

"It's rather obvious now." Leaning down, Clark cupped the other man's cheeks and kissed him thoroughly. 

"You, my Kansas farm boy, are a fast learner." 

"I had a good teacher." 

Lex mocked offense. "Only good?" 

"As good as it gets." The farm boy smiled as the teacher's cheeks flushed a faint pink. 

* * *

Lex stood at the bar, pouring himself a glass of wine. Replacing the bottle to its rightful place, he moved next to his significant other. "Want a sip?" 

His face twisting into a grimace, Clark shook his head. "You can keep it." 

Chuckling quietly, Lex brought the glass to his own lips for a drink. He perched himself on the arm of his leather couch, the only sounds in the room those of his clothes sliding against flesh and the leather groaning under his weight. "Do I need to have a talk with our good friend Pete?" 

Crawling across the couch until his knees rested between his friend's bare feet, Clark lay his arms across Lex's thighs. "No, don't go threatening him." 

"Moi?" 

Clark moved his hands to grip the other man's hips. "I've seen you in all business mode." 

"And your point?" 

"My point is that he's a kid in high school. I don't want you going around scaring my friends just because they disappoint me." 

When Clark scooted in closer, Lex set his wine on the end table behind him, accepting the embrace. "I distinctly remember not saying a word to Chloe and Lana when they dismissed you and treated you like a jealous boyfriend." 

Very much inside Lex's personal space, Clark studied the other man. "Okay, you can show restraint on occasion. Under duress." 

Tilting his head forward just a bit, Lex grazed his lips over Clark's as he spoke. "Do you like watching me kick ass?" 

Clark's nostrils flared, his cheeks heating from something entirely different than embarrassment. The sexy chuckle in his ear did nothing for his composure. 

"Maybe I should invite you to some of my business meetings. It'd be fun to know you're sitting there looking all sexy, aching for me." 

A gush of air escaped Clark's lips as he moved away suddenly. "God, Lex." 

"Who do you want? Me or God?" 

Now in the middle of the couch, Clark swiped a trembling hand over his face. "You're such a tease." 

"I'm not teasing. You can have me whenever you decide you're ready." 

"Are you mad because we haven't had sex yet?" 

Lex slid down off the arm of the couch onto the cushion, positioning his legs just outside Clark's until they constantly touched. "It's funny. For the first time in my life I'm not in a hurry to get anywhere. I'm just enjoying being with you." 

"And you don't mind waiting?" 

"Not at the moment, no." 

"Are you seeing anyone else?" 

"No. Are you?" 

"No." Gazing at the black leather between Lex's thighs, Clark blurted, "Do you want to see other people?" 

"Not really." 

Hurt swimming in his eyes, Clark sharply looked up at his friend. "Not really as in 'sort of' or not really as in another way of saying 'no'?" 

Lex reached out, his elbow resting on his knee. He wiggled his fingers until Clark took his hand. "Not really as in you're all I need at this point." 

Sighing, Clark relaxed minutely. "And if that changes?" 

"I don't see it happening, but if it does, we'll discuss it." 

Scooting back onto his rear end, Clark sat in the lotus position and pulled one of Lex's feet into his lap. "I hope that's a conversation we never have to have." 

His eyes drifting closed as Clark drew lines with his fingertips along the veins of his foot, Lex exhaled loudly. "I hope so, too." 

Concentrating very hard on the bare foot, Clark continued on without looking at his friend. "You'll tell me if there's ever anything you need that I'm not providing?" 

"I'll tell you." 

"Because I've seen couples who are made for each other split up because one is unhappy, but doesn't tell the other." 

"I'll tell you." 

"And I don't think I could take it if I lost you and could've prevented it." 

Lex leaned forward and tipped Clark's head back enough to meet his gaze, the younger man blinking moisture from his eyes. "You really do love me, don't you?" 

Clark's expression almost crumbled, but he recovered at the last moment. "God, yes." He launched himself at Lex, resting his head on a slim shoulder. 

Lex petted Clark's hair, sinking his fingers through the dark strands. "What did I do to deserve that?" 

A shaky voice replied, "Nobody deserves it, Lex. Sometimes it just happens." 

"Like your mom and dad?" 

"Yeah. Like them." 

* * *

Lex slowed the Porsche near the campus gate, ignoring the dirty look Principal Reynolds directed toward him. As Clark opened the door and set a foot down on the pavement, Lex ran a single finger down the back of the younger man's hand, which earned him a startled look. "Have a good day." 

A smile comparable to the glow of the morning sun greeted him. "Thanks. You, too." 

He returned it warmly as Clark leaned toward him, but caught himself before engaging in a public display of affection. "I'll do my best." 

After Clark passed the gate, Lex just sat there watching him for a moment. He couldn't bring himself to care about Principal Reynolds' grimace of distaste. Too busy enjoying his young friend, he smiled as Clark wrapped an arm around Chloe and pecked her on the cheek in a good morning greeting. Poor girl. If he wasn't so clueless, Clark would realize that he was about to send her into a hormonal meltdown. 

Chuckling to himself, Lex shifted into gear and squealed his tires as he took off, full out laughing as he caught Principal Reynolds' angry glare in his rear view mirror. 

* * *

"Clark?" 

Sighing, he turned and looked down at Pete. "Yeah?" 

"Can we talk?" 

Glancing around, Clark made a point of eyeing all the people around them. "Here?" 

Pete shook his head. "Doesn't matter. I just wanted to apologize." 

"Okay." 

"I overreacted and I'm sorry. What you do and who you do it with is your business." 

"This conversation is getting dangerous. We'll talk about it after school at my place, okay?" 

"Yeah." Pete slapped him on the back and headed down the hall. 

Breathing a sigh of relief, Clark suddenly realized how much Pete's judgment upset him. 

* * *

Walking through the house, Clark and Pete stopped in the kitchen for the after school meal of milk and cookies. Each young man dutifully held out his cheek for a kiss from Martha and then promptly headed for the screen door. 

On his way down the steps, Clark caught sight of the Porsche sitting next to the barn. Great. He glanced back over his shoulder at Pete, who was currently staring a hole through the driver's door. In silence, the two of them ascended the steps to the loft just in time to see Lex quickly gain his feet and stuff his hands into his pockets. 

Clark threw his book bag on the bed, knowing that only he would notice the sweat on Lex's upper lip, the normal looking movement in his pockets to be fidgeting Luthor-style. "It's okay, Lex. He apologized." 

Nodding as he exhaled through his nose, Lex remained silent. 

Pete stepped forward, glaring up at Lex as if he was the same height as the older man. "I don't care who your daddy is or what your name is. If you hurt him, you deal with me." 

An amused almost smile tugged at the edges of Lex's lips as he nodded again. 

"Pete!" 

"Stay out of this, Clark." 

"Oh, yeah, my best friend and my boyfriend are having a pissing contest and I'm just the window dressing." Belatedly realizing what he'd just said, he turned quickly, running down the steps to check and make sure nobody heard him. He caught Lex's sharp look as he re-ascended the stairs. "It's okay. There's nobody around." 

"You're going to have to be more careful about what you say, Clark." 

Drawing his eyebrows closer together, Clark snapped, "You know, Lex, sometimes you have an amazing talent for stating the obvious." He had a hard time remaining surly with his best friend snickering behind him. 

Lex held up a hand, ceding the argument before he hitched the legs on his expensive dress pants and sat down. "So, tell me, what did you boys learn at school today?" 

Waiting until Lex took a bite of his cookie, Clark smiled. "Actually I learned quite a bit about anal sex in Sex Ed." 

Clark and Pete both cracked up as Lex spewed crumbs all over his expensive suit. 

After regaining his composure, Lex narrowed his eyes at him, a promise of retaliation. "You were asking questions about anal sex?" 

Pete's grin grew wider. 

"No, goofball. There was a girl asking questions." He moved to the bed, digging through his backpack. "I just paid attention and... took notes." Victoriously, he produced a spiral-bound notebook, playfully swinging it back and forth. 

"And I got the girl's phone number," Pete proudly added. 

* * *

Clark pushed the door open to the Talon, holding it open for Pete to follow him out onto the sidewalk. Immediately greeted with the sight of a white stretch limousine with black tinted windows, his heart leapt in his chest. 

The driver approached him, hands politely crossed in front of him. "Mr. Luthor would like a word with you, sir." 

Smiling, Clark regarded his frowning friend. "Pete..." 

A dark hand raised, forestalling the argument. "I'll catch you later, dude." 

Clark sighed and squeezed his long body through the open door. "I thought you had a mee--" He saw that it wasn't Lex. "--ting." 

Lionel's head turned toward his voice as the door shut with a quiet thud. "Lex is working. I take it I'm not the Luthor you were hoping to see." 

"I didn't mean any offense, sir." 

"None taken. And I hope you won't take offense to the purpose of this meeting, but it's in the best interest of my son." 

Crossing his arms over his chest, Clark looked at the well-groomed Luthor out of the corner of his eyes. "And what purpose would that be?" 

"My son is destined for great things, young Mr. Kent. I'm prepared to reward you with a sizeable gift if you will turn your affections away from him." 

Cheeks flushing, the irises of Clark's eyes burned. "You're trying to buy me off?" 

"As I said, Lex is going to be a great man. He doesn't need a small boy from a small town holding him back." 

Clark's throat attempted to close on him and he cleared it. "Your son is a great man. Success is not only measured by the sum of your net worth." 

Lionel chuckled. "You're even beginning to talk like him." 

"I should be so lucky." 

"I presume a million dollars will be sufficient." 

Leaning forward, Clark's stomach swam with pleasure as Lionel retreated at the intruder in his personal space. In a quiet voice, Clark gave the older man his answer. "You can't afford to buy me away from your son. He is worth more to me than your dirty money." 

Lifting his chin, Lionel smirked. Clark wanted to slap it off his face. On Lex, it was attractive, sexy even. On Lionel, it looked perverse. "And I suppose you think Lex has never gotten his hands dirty." 

"Lex has done what he had to do to survive in a world where his father thinks affection is a curse word. Have a nice day, Mr. Luthor." 

Opening the door, he stepped out onto the street, his mind running in circles as fast as his legs could. Numb and safely out of town, he finally gave in to his emotions, giving no conscious thought to where his super speed carried him. 

* * *

Clark sat in the passenger side of Lex's Porsche, the conversation playing over and over in his mind. 

"Clark?" 

Startled, he looked up into his friend's concerned eyes, only then realizing where he was. "Lex? What am I doing here?" 

"That was my next question." 

Lex turned away to make apologies to the group of people behind him and inform them that their meeting would have to be postponed. The crowd moved away and Lex opened the driver's door, settling his long body into the confined space, black dress coat falling open to either side of his lap. 

He reached over and grabbed Clark's hand, turning himself in the seat as best he could. "What's going on?" 

Through a shuddering breath, Clark said, "Your father." 

Lex stiffened, his hand involuntarily squeezing Clark's harder. "What did he do this time?" 

Stubbornly, Clark looked out over the entrance to the parking garage of LexCorp, the dark grey spots on the pavement evidencing the recent shower. 

"Clark." Great. Lex was pissed. The older man gently touched his chin, turning him so that their eyes met. "Talk to me, CK." 

"CK?" 

"You'd rather I call you sugarplum?" 

That surprised a laugh out of him. "Not if you expect to keep all of your body parts intact." 

"Thus, CK." 

"Do I get to call you Sexy Lexy?" 

"Not if you expect me to answer you." 

"No fair." 

"Life's a bitch," Lex said in a gentle tone. "Now, back to the issue at hand..." 

The smile dropped from Clark's face as he looked back out at the pavement. "He tried to pay me off to break up with you." 

Lex swallowed audibly. "How much?" 

Clark looked back at the other man quickly. "What difference does it make?" 

"I just want to know how much of a threat he thinks you are." 

"A million." 

"A million dollars could do a lot for your family, Clark." 

Eyes narrowed, Clark pulled his hand free, not noticing how badly the other hand shook. "So, I guess he was right." 

"What about?" 

"He said you're destined for great things. And I'm just a small boy from a small town, not even close to being in your league." 

"And what did you tell him?" 

Eyes still stormy, Clark set his jaw. "I told him he didn't have enough money to make me leave you." He turned back to Lex. "But he didn't need to, did he?" 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"You're trying to get me to take it!" 

Lex remained silent. 

"I should've never believed that you could care about me. You Luthors are all alike." Clark managed to get out of the car and slam the door without flipping the thing. 

As he walked away, he heard, "It's a defense mechanism." 

About three feet from the car, he froze, speaking over his shoulder. "A what?" 

"A defense mechanism." 

Turning, he took in the hunched shoulders, the trembling hands, the eyes that blinked entirely too often. "Defense against what?" 

Lex looked up at him, for the first time allowing him to see him truly vulnerable. "A million dollars is a lot of money. It could completely pay off your farm and put you through college." 

"You're telling me this why?" 

"Because I want you to think about what he's offering you. Am I really worth a million dollars to you?" 

Clark stepped closer, placing his hands on the door of the passenger side, mindful of the echo in a parking garage. "The US Treasury doesn't have enough money to buy me away from you." 

Lex's mouth dropped open, hands gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles paled. "Clark..." His voice failed him, so he cleared his throat and tried again. "You shouldn't love me this much." 

Almost certain he saw a tear about to fall, Clark remained still as Lex tore out of the car and paced away from him, head bowed. Slowly, he moved toward his friend, placing a hand on each shoulder. Bending down, he whispered, "But I do." 

"Oh, God, Clark." 

"Why does that scare you?" 

"I'm not frightened," he choked out. "Just a bit overwhelmed." After a shuddering breath, he leaned his weight back against the younger man. "Nobody, and I mean nobody, in my life has ever been willing to give up a million dollars to be with me. Nobody has been willing to go up against my father. You? You tell him to butt out of my life and mind his own business." 

A smile quirked Clark's lips. "You heard that part, huh?" 

Chuckling quietly, Lex nodded. "Yeah." 

"Well, I tend to get testy when he tries to make me doubt my place in your life." 

"Don't ever doubt it. You're under my skin, CK. I'm yours, hook, line, and sinker." 

"Good. I love you, too, Lex." The older man's back pushed against him in a fond movement. "But I seriously doubt you've ever been fishing." 

"You'd be right, unless you count being the bait." 

"We'll have to fix that. It's un-American not to go fishing at least once if you're a guy." 

"Even a gay guy?" 

"If you're with Clark Kent, even then." 

"I'm definitely with him." 

"It's settled then. Saturday. You, me, and a fishing pole." 

"On one condition." 

"What's that?" 

"Take fencing lessons." 

"You know we can't afford--" 

"Clark." 

"Yes?" 

"I need a worthy opponent to keep my skills sharp. You're a quick study." 

"As a favor then?" 

"If that's what you want to call it." 

"Okay. Fishing and fencing." 

"Not at the same time." 

"Lex?" 

He took a step forward and turned to face Clark. "Yeah?" 

"Go back to work before you get yourself into trouble." 

"That sounds like it could be fun," he leered. 

Clark pointed toward the building. "Work. Now." 

"Yes, sir." 

Watching Lex's commanding presence as he made his way back to his company, Clark was almost hypnotized by the subtle sway of trim hips, the dress coat billowing in his wake. 

* * *

Lex walked out of his closet, the jeans riding low on his hips zipped but unbuttoned. "What kind of shirt should I wear?" 

Standing in the middle of the room, Clark gaped, his tongue slowly swiping his lower lip. 

A confident expression in place, Lex took a step forward. "Do you want to touch me, Clark?" 

Nostrils flaring, the younger man flinched as his friend moved even closer. 

"We can keep it above the waist." Reaching the other man, Lex placed a gentle hand on his hip so as not to scare him away. 

Clark tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "Nothing below the waist?" 

"I promise." 

A nervous smile graced the red lips. "Okay." 

Tugging at the hem of Clark's tee shirt, Lex looked up suddenly when two hands held it in place. Fear shone from the green eyes as if he would ever force Clark to do something he didn't want to. "What's wrong?" 

"What are you doing?" 

Reaching up with his free hand, Lex cupped his lover's cheek, thumb brushing the fine bone. "I wanted to touch you, too, but if you're not ready for that..." 

Before he could finish his thought the blue tee shirt lay on the ground next to their feet. 

"Wow." 

Eyes twinkling with mischief, Clark grinned, his lips parting. 

Lex waited, but the other man didn't move. 

A small whimper escaped Clark's lips. 

Lex cupped both cheeks in his hands. "What's wrong, CK?" 

"Kiss me." 

"You know, I don't always have to initiate our kisses. As long as we're in private, you can kiss me anytime and anywhere you want." 

Clark smiled, and Lex brushed their lips together, sliding his tongue inside. He felt almost drugged, totally dependent on Clark's presence. 

When they parted, Clark licked his lips, eyes showing as much heat as Lex felt. "Only in private?" 

Lex blinked. "What?" 

Smiling, Clark pulled him closer, hooking his thumbs through loops on the back of his lover's jeans. "You said I could kiss you as long as we're in private." 

Lex blinked again, recognition dawning. "I'd love to be able to kiss you in public, but unfortunately the world, and especially Smallville, is full of bigots." 

Running a finger along Lex's collar bone, Clark smiled at the shiver. "I'm not even ready to have sex with you. Public displays of affection are way down the road." 

Frowning, Lex dropped a kiss on a very muscular shoulder, tongue tasting. "But you expect them at some point in the future?" 

Clark sighed and shrugged. "Who knows?" 

"It could really hurt LexCorp's business." 

The younger man hooked the nape of Lex's neck with his hand, speaking against his lips. "I'd love you just as much even if you didn't have a dime." 

Closing his eyes, Lex allowed himself to be kissed thoroughly, flushing when Clark's thumb unerringly brushed the moisture from the corner of his eye. 

Without warning, Clark grazed both his nipples and he moaned helplessly, dropping his forehead onto the nearest shoulder. 

"Like that?" Clark whispered directly into his ear and he shuddered. 

"You know I do." Before he knew it, his support disappeared and two palms slid down his torso as Clark lowered himself to his knees. Eyes flying open, Lex demanded, "What are you doing?" 

Clark's eyes sparkled as he looked up at him. "Learning what makes you feel good." 

As Clark pressed an open mouth to his stomach, tongue caressing, he prayed for the strength to keep his promise. He sank his hand into the dark waves, unsure of whether to urge them closer or push them away. 

"Turn around." 

It took him a moment to realize Clark wanted something, but he took the hint when his lover pushed at his hip. 

Clark's chest pressed against his back, arms wrapping possessively around him. "Why, Lex, I do believe you're flustered." 

He turned his face to the side, baring his teeth. "Cocky little shit." 

Thrusting his hips against Lex's rear, he growled, "Do you feel anything little?" 

"You're a fucking tease," Lex hissed. 

Clark slowly licked the shell of his ear. "And you love every minute of it." 

He sagged against Clark, allowing the younger man to support him. "Pathetic, isn't it?" 

Nibbling at the under edge of Lex's jaw, Clark shook his head. "I think sexy is the word I'd use." 

The air chilled him as Clark released him and stepped away. "Where are you going?" 

Clark laughed nervously. "To the bathroom." 

Turning, Lex regarded the bulge pushing at his lover's zipper, the fisted hands. "Oh, no you're not." He marched forward, pressing Clark against the wall with his body. "You're not going to go jerk off and leave me hanging." 

A shudder wracked Clark's body as Lex shifted his hips minutely, leaning forward to tease at a nipple with his tongue. "Oh, God, Lex!" 

A wicked smirk curved Lex's lips as he danced fingertips over Clark's quivering stomach. "Feels good, doesn't it?" 

Mouth gaping, Clark nodded, gripping Lex's shoulders. "I need..." 

"We need to stop before things get out of hand." Lex waited. 

Eyes drifting closed, Clark drew in a shaky breath and nodded. "Did we just make love?" 

Smiling, Lex placed a gentle kiss to the side of his lover's Adam's Apple. "Yes, we did." 

"Will it always feel this good?" 

Lex chuckled. "I'm thinking it'll feel even better when we actually get naked and get to come." 

Eyes flying open, Clark studied his lover. "Am I making you wait too long?" 

"You keep doing to me what you just did and I'll wait however long it takes." 

"You liked it that much?" 

"I loved it." Lex searched out Clark's wandering eyes. "Just like I love you." 

Clark gasped. "You mean it?" 

Narrowing his eyes, Lex kept his tone gentle. "I told you I wouldn't say it until I meant it." He kissed each eyelid as a tear spilled from each one. 

"I've been waiting my whole life to hear you say that." 

* * *

"Was it sexual?" 

A brow lifting at the out of the blue question, Lex turned to face his friend. "Excuse me?" 

"With Hamilton. Was it sexual?" 

Lex half smirked. "You do realize that Hamilton's not his real name." 

"I gathered." 

Walking toward the other man until mere inches separated them, Lex slid his hands into the pockets of tailor made jeans. "I was wondering if you were ever going to get around to asking about what you saw." 

"Can we go down there?" 

Lex shrugged and led the way. When they reached the bottom of the steps, he stood by patiently as Clark took in the whole scene, his gaze landing on the bolted cabinet hanging on the concrete wall. 

"What's in there?" 

Producing a key, Lex unlocked the cabinet and stood back. "See for yourself." 

Stepping forward, Clark opened one door, then the other. Eyes wide, he regarded his friend and then turned back to the many implements. He reached up and unhooked the whip Lex had used on Hamilton that day, long fingers testing the texture of the soft leather. 

Forcing himself to remain still as Clark moved closer, Lex allowed the strips of leather to caress his throat as the other man brushed him with it, eyes fixed on him, taking in every response. 

"What are you thinking?" 

"What are you thinking?" 

"I asked you first." 

"Very well. I'm thinking that if I don't get that whip out of your hands soon, I just might embarrass myself." 

A wicked smile showed very white teeth as Clark circled behind him, the whip tantalizing Lex's stomach and torso. "You like seeing me hold the whip?" 

Gasping as teeth gently nibbled on his earlobe, Lex stood very still. The whip suddenly stung his abdomen and he blurted a groan. 

"I asked you a question." 

Eyes blazing, Lex turned, his body bumping into his lover's. "Are you quite sure you're prepared for the answer? This isn't a child's game." 

Clark dipped his face closer, their lips almost touching. "I don't see any children." 

Lifting his chin, Lex's lips brushed Clark's as he spoke. "Would you hurt me if I asked you to, Clark? Would you do that for me?" 

Fear blanched the handsome features as Clark backed away, shaking his head, the whip falling to the cold ground. "What?" 

Unwilling to let Clark escape, Lex bent to pick up the whip, stepping closer yet again. "If pain was what I needed, would you hurt me?" 

"No." 

Lex blinked. "No?" 

"I love you. I don't want to cause you pain." 

"Even if it's one of those things we discussed that I might need you to give me?" 

Eyes rapidly blinking, Clark adamantly shook his head. "Lex, please..." 

Lex gently held onto Clark's chin. "Would you give me what I need?" 

"You said it yourself. I need to be careful with other people. I could really hurt you." 

"I'm not fragile." 

"But you are precious." 

His breath suddenly playing hide and seek with his lungs, Lex turned away. 

"Lex?" 

"I told you that you shouldn't love me this much." 

"And I told you that I do anyway." After a strained silence, a small voice floated over Lex's shoulder. "Do you need pain, Lex?" 

He smiled gently as he turned. "No." 

"You asshole!" Clark exclaimed as he gently pushed his friend. "You manipulative bastard." 

"My parents were most certainly married when they had me." 

Chuckling to himself, Clark walked away from Lex, to the platform where Hamilton had been bound. He perched on it, studying what looked like a padded sawhorse with restraints attached to each of the four legs. Bending over it, Clark frowned and looked at Lex. "It's too short." 

Smugly, Lex moved closer. "It's not adjusted for you." 

"Would you?" 

"Would I what?" 

"If I wanted you to do to me what you did to Hamilton, would you?" 

Lex stepped into his lover's personal space once again. "Are you into pain, Clark?" 

"Not really. Nothing that would leave marks." 

"You want me to whip you?" 

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Clark leaned back against the padded sawhorse. "Maybe." 

"Not until you're 18." 

Clark shrugged. "I can wait a few months." 

Head turning sharply, Lex searched for deception. "You're 17?" 

"Yep. My mom and dad said I was too rough on the other kids so they held me back." 

"And all this time I've been guilting myself for cradle robbing." 

Sticking his thumb in his mouth, Clark grinned and muttered, "Wah." 

Abruptly, Lex yanked his hand away. "Don't do that." 

"Why?" 

"Just... don't." 

"Okay." Clark perched himself on top of the padded bench, legs swaying slightly. "You never answered my question." 

Allowing himself to be pulled between his lover's spread thighs, Lex braced himself on the bench. "What question is that?" 

"Was it sexual?" 

"For Hamilton? Yes. For me? No. It was a business transaction." 

"He paid you?" 

Lex chuckled. "Nothing like that. He owes me a favor." 

"You like people owing you." 

He couldn't argue, so he shrugged. 

"Are you going to continue with your little sideline?" 

"No." At Clark's doubtful expression, he closed the space between them. He licked Clark's lower lip and then nibbled on it before sliding his tongue inside. As he ended the kiss, he pecked Clark's lips chastely. "When I'm with someone, I'm with them." 

"Sorry." 

"For what?" 

"Questioning you." 

"You're a Kent. It goes with the territory." 

* * *

"Ow!" Lex smacked the back of his neck before bringing his hand around to examine it. Finding it clean, he muttered, "I hate bugs." 

He was rewarded with one of those mischievous sideways grins that always made his blood pump faster. "You're such a city boy." Clark's mouth curved into a full blown smile. "In fact, that's going to be your new nickname." 

"What?" Lex asked, one eyebrow raised. 

"CB. City boy." 

"How dignified." 

"Oh, and I suppose your habit of going around barefooted is dignified." 

"I hate wearing things on my feet. Sue me." 

"I can think of a lot better things I'd like to do to you." 

Lex thought that Clark was in danger of bringing suggestive dialogue to an art form. Choosing to ignore it, he tightened his reel a bit and then sighed. "Is fishing always this boring?" 

"Boring?" 

"Present company excluded, of course." 

Careful not to shift his weight too suddenly and upset their boat, Clark leaned closer, speaking against Lex's lips. "Good, because present company could definitely make it a lot more interesting." 

Eyes fluttering closed, Lex found himself unable to pull away, his lover's touch slowly becoming addictive. "I don't think this is a good idea, Clark. We're in public." 

Clark nibbled on his lips, smiling wickedly at the groan. "We're at the back of my family property, surrounded by fields. How is that public?" 

Whimpering, Lex chided, "You know how much I love kissing you. You're not playing fair." 

A gentle shrug nudged him. "All's fair in love and war." Clark then took his mouth, effectively putting an end to the conversation for a few precious moments. 

Finally, Lex gathered himself enough to press against Clark's bare chest and they broke apart. "Your father could be lurking behind any one of these hills." 

Tilting his head, Clark grinned fondly. "Do you see a shotgun?" 

"That's exactly my point. I'm not sure whether there would be a shotgun wedding, not that the thought of us tieing the knot is entirely unappealing, or he would shoot me to get me out of his son's life." 

"He hasn't shot you yet." 

"He hasn't been faced with proof that his son is in love with a Luthor yet, now has he?" 

Sighing, Clark sat back, frowning when Lex's hand fell away from his chest. "You've got a point." 

"Thank you." 

"You know, sometimes, you really get on my nerves." 

Barking a laugh, Lex enjoyed this little bout of temper. "How so?" 

"You're always thinking. Do you have to be right all the time?" 

Lex shrugged. "I try." 

"Boys!" Both of them jumped at the yell from behind them, nearly capsizing their little boat. 

After grabbing Lex's arm and stilling the boat, Clark yelled back. "Yeah?" 

"Lunch!" 

"Okay, Dad. We'll be there in a minute." At Lex's smug expression, Clark pointed. "Not a word." 

* * *

As Lex seated himself at the small table and spread his napkin over his lap out of habit, he fought the grin as another one appeared next to his plate. 

"Clark!" 

He continued to fight as his friend jumped and hit one of his knees on the leg of the table, puzzling as he didn't so much as flinch. "What!" 

"You kept him out there too long." 

Lex almost jerked away as Martha's fingers trailed over his scalp. He hated people touching his head, but Martha wasn't people. She was like a surrogate mother. 

"He's burnt." 

The sun must have gotten to him because he enjoyed the whine in Clark's voice. "I put sunscreen on him." 

"Well. I'm glad we never let you have a pet because you'd kill it." 

That was it, the smile broke free. He spied Jonathan valiantly fighting with his lips as well. Martha must have put him on his best behavior. 

"After lunch, young man, you will march yourself up those stairs and bring me the aloe." 

"Yes, ma'am." 

So this must be what a normal family is like. Nice. 

* * *

After listening to his parents pull away in the truck, Clark pulled Lex down onto the hammock with him, careful to keep the burnt skin away from the rough material. 

"Are you sure this is safe?" 

"Yeah. They're gone." 

Lex still didn't completely relax, his body ready to launch into motion at the slightest sound from below. "My head feels weird." 

Clark palmed Lex's scalp, frowning at the heat emanating from the damaged skin. "I'm sorry." 

"At least you didn't kill me." 

"You're lucky you're injured." More serious, Clark urged Lex's head onto his chest so that he could run a finger along the shoulder line of the older man's back. "I've heard that aloe feels strange when it dries." 

"You've never used it?" 

"I don't burn." 

"You're lucky." Relaxing minutely, Lex curled an arm across Clark's waist. "Mm. I could fall asleep like this." 

"Go ahead." 

"Too easy to get busted." 

"I'll wake you if I hear anything." 

"And if you fall asleep?" 

Smiling, Clark placed a gentle kiss on the pink skin of his lover's scalp. "We'll get busted." 

"Exactly." 

Trying to sound annoyed, Clark thought it fell flat. "You're doing it again." 

"Sue me." 

"I can think of better things to do with a sexy man like you." 

That brought Lex's head up until their eyes locked, the older man searching. "You're getting more and more daring." 

"You are sexy." 

"Hadn't noticed." 

Clark laughed. "I'd hope not. If anybody found themselves sexy, they'd be seriously warped." 

"Spoken like a person with a true insecurity issue." 

Shrugging, Clark held his lover tighter. "Can't help it. I feel like a big, awkward dork most of the time." 

Lex lowered his face until their lips met tenderly, lingeringly. "Maybe. But you're a beautiful dork." 

"Thanks a lot." 

Returning his head to Clark's shoulder, Lex asked, "You said you feel awkward most of the time. When don't you?" 

"You'll laugh." 

"Try me." 

"When I'm with you." 

Silence greeted him. 

"Lex?" 

"You'll notice the complete absence of laughter." 

"One of the many reasons I love you so much." He kissed Lex's temple briefly. 

"I really wish you didn't." 

"Why?" 

"It's a lot of pressure to have someone, especially someone as wonderful as you, build you up that much. It's inevitable that I'm going to disappoint you at some point." 

"It happens. That doesn't mean I'll love you any less." 

"But maybe you'll realize that the impression you had of me that made you fall for me was false." 

Clark cupped his palm at the nape of Lex's neck, thumb caressing. "And maybe I'll realize that you're only human." 

"Possibly." 

"It's not like I've never disappointed you, yet you still fell for me." 

"How could I not? You've been seducing me daily since you saved my life." 

"I have not." 

Lex resituated himself until he half lay across Clark, placing his hands on the other man's chest and resting his chin on them. "If you're breathing, you're seducing me." 

Clark hated the flush that burned his cheeks. "Really?" 

"Yeah." 

"That's pretty much true with you, too. Except it's mainly when you walk." 

"When I walk?" 

Nodding, Clark smiled. "You have this swagger, especially when you walk with purpose. God, it gets to me." 

"Watching me walk gets you hot. You're warped." 

"I could say the same about you watching me breathe." 

"Point." After a moment, Lex laid his head back on Clark's shoulder, still half covering him with his body. "Since we're being candid here, can I tell you something I'd like for us to do sometime?" 

"Sure." 

"Full body kissing." 

"What's that?" 

Lex raised his head until their gazes met again, drawing gentle circles on Clark's chest. "We can't do it here. We'll need privacy." 

"Okay." Clark swallowed, waiting. 

"You lie on your back and I'll lie on top of you. Clothed, naked, your choice." 

"O-okay." 

"And we spend the afternoon just kissing, our bodies in full contact." 

Breathing heavy, Clark flushed again as his body responded. 

"Should I take that as a yes?" 

"Yes." 

* * *

Clark and Lex lounged on the comfortable black leather couch, Lex leaning against Clark's side, Clark's arm around Lex's back, both men propping their feet on the coffee table in front of them. 

"You really hate wearing anything on your feet, huh?" 

Shrugging, Lex drank in the warmth from his lover's body. "Socks itch me and wearing shoes without them makes my feet sweat, which in turn gives me athlete's foot. I prefer barefoot." 

"I think it's cute." 

"Cute?" Lex's tone made it clear that the word applied to him did not sit too well. 

"You do have nice feet. Elegant, even." 

Wiggling his toes, Lex scrutinized his pale skin, the veins in too dark relief for his liking. He just didn't see it. "If you say so." 

"Well, I do." After a moment, Clark began to fidget. 

"What's wrong?" 

"Nothing." 

"This is me, Clark. I know you almost better than I know myself. What is it?" 

Frowning ever so slightly, Clark regarded him as if he were trying to figure something out. "Can I ask you a personal question?" 

"I should think so. I am your SO." 

The frown transformed into puzzlement. "SO?" 

"Significant other." 

"Oh. Oh!" 

"Yeah. Oh." 

"Are you sure you don't mind?" 

"If I'm uncomfortable with the question, I'll tell you." Lex poked his friend in the ribs. "Now, ask." 

"Okay." Swallowing, Clark directed his question toward their laps, glancing up when he finished speaking. "Are you... hairless all over?" 

If Clark had trouble asking that, what would he do when he had a serious question? "The only hair on my body is my eyelashes and my eyebrows. I'm thankful I didn't lose them." 

Clark ran a finger along Lex's brow. "They're elegant, too, just like your feet." 

"You're going to spoil me saying things like that." 

Shrugging, Clark continued to trace the small hairs. "You spoil with money. I spoil with words." 

"You spoil with your mere presence." 

"I could say the same to you." Finally finished with Lex's brows, Clark ran a finger down the long-sleeved shirt the older man wore. "Is that why you always wear long sleeves and long pants?" 

Lex nodded. "Being called a sissy would be extremely undignified." 

"I'd smash anyone's face in who talked to you that way." 

"Clark, no." 

"Lex, yes." 

Pulling away from his lover, he faced the younger man, draping his legs over the longer ones. "I mean it. No roughing anyone up on my account. That's not who you are." 

"I protect what's mine." 

Shivering at the utter possession in his SO's tone, Lex shook his head. "If I see you changing for the worse because of me, I'll have no choice but to break this relationship off no matter how much it would hurt both of us." 

That got Clark's attention. "Break it off?" 

"I mean it, Clark. I love you for who you are. I don't want you changing." 

"But I have to protect you." 

Lex nodded. "If my life is in danger, that's one thing. But harming others for words, I won't put up with." 

"I don't suppose you're going to budge on this?" 

"No, I'm not." 

"Okay then. I promise. No harm will come to assholes." 

"Thank you." Lex brushed his lips briefly over Clark's before lounging against him once again. Eyes that he didn't realize he'd closed opened when they began moving. "What are you doing?" 

"I figured we could try that full body kissing thing of yours." 

Breath caught in his throat, Lex's body immediately responded to the smoldering eyes directed toward him. Once Clark helped him situate themselves chest to chest and waist to waist, he realized he wasn't alone in his excitement. 

"All right, SO. Kiss me into oblivion." 

Lex smiled. "I didn't realize teenagers talked like that." 

"You're a bad influence, teaching me all these big words." 

"If you say so." He gently held Clark's head between his palms, allowing the full force of his weight to fall on his lover. Swiping the red lips before slipping his tongue inside, he moaned as Clark whimpered and arched up against him, electricity singing every nerve ending. 

Lex kissed Clark slowly, leisurely, with no goal in mind other than memorizing this man's mouth. Clark responded with enthusiasm, allowing him to take the lead and following his cues. 

Trying to ignore the gentle thrusts against his pelvis, Lex forced himself not to return them, but not to chide for them either. He never thought it possible to feel like this, to become so totally consumed with another human being. But Clark Kent wasn't just any human being. Lost in thought, he pulled back as Clark gasped, a frown of ecstasy creasing his forehead as his whole body shuddered. 

After a few moments, Clark's eyes flew open, fear and confusion warring for dominance. 

Lex smiled fondly and kissed his forehead. "Feel good?" 

A bit hesitantly, Clark nodded. "I don't think there are words." 

"How do you feel now?" 

"Warm and tingly all over. And scared to death." 

Placing a palm on each cheek, Lex kissed his lover deeply but briefly. "This doesn't change anything. We didn't mean for it to happen and I'll still wait until you're ready." 

"I just-- I wanted you so much and I saw these... images... in my mind." 

"What sorts of images?" 

Flushing, Clark looked over Lex's shoulder. "Images of you and me, doing things..." 

Lex smiled. "Enough said." 

Sighing, Clark kissed him, a grateful expression on his face. "Good." 

Silence reigned for several moments. 

"Lex?" 

"Yes?" 

"I feel kinda gross." 

A mischievous grin tilted up one side of his mouth. "I thought you might. Would you like to shower?" 

"Can I use your personal bathroom?" 

"Absolutely." 

* * *

Lex showed Clark how the controls on his shower worked before moving to the door. "I'll go get you some clothes to wear while we wash those." 

"Okay." Clark pulled his tee shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor, hands automatically moving to the button on his jeans. 

"Do me a favor?" 

"What?" 

"Don't get out while I'm bringing your clothes in. I won't be held responsible for my actions if I see you nude." 

A pleased flush colored Clark's face, neck, and shoulders. "Deal." Suddenly frowning, he gestured toward Lex's waist. "Do you need me to..." 

"I'm fine. Don't tempt me." 

"Are you sure?" 

"I'm not a saint, Clark. Don't ask again." 

"Okay. I'm going to finish undressing and get in then." 

"Right." Lex shut the door behind him, lightly banging his head against it, knowing in the days to come it would be increasingly difficult to maintain the celibate aspect of their relationship. A line had been crossed, unintentional as it might have been, but it had been crossed nonetheless. 

* * *

A fully dressed, damp-skinned Clark walked out of the bathroom into the bedroom, drying his hair with a towel. He found his SO lying on the large bed looking relaxed, pants only half zipped, and a baby wipe in the trash can nearby. "Don't you look content." 

A lazy smile greeted him as Lex patted the bed next to where he lay. 

Clark shook his head reminiscent of a wet dog to settle his hair and then climbed on the bed as requested. Lex immediately rolled over and pretty much wrapped himself around Clark. 

"I never would have guessed." 

A muffled, "What?" came from the vicinity of his shoulder. 

"You're a cuddler." 

"I do like to be touched, Clark, by the right people." 

"A person would never guess that by the image you project." 

"I've told you about self preservation, have I not?" 

Clark kissed the healed skin of his lover's scalp. "I'll cuddle with you anytime you want." 

"Have I told you that I love you today?" 

"You haven't told me this week," was the hoarse reply. 

"I'm sorry. It's not something that's easy for me to say." 

Gently hugging the older man, Clark spoke against his temple. "As long as you mean it when you say it." 

"I meant it." 

* * *

Lex pulled off his mask and glared. "Clark, you're letting me win." 

"Am not." 

Carrying the mask between the bend of his elbow and his body, Lex pushed the tip of his foil into Clark's lame. "I could get anybody to do this. I asked you to learn the sport so I'd have a worthy opponent." 

"Just because I'm not as good as you are doesn't mean..." 

"Don't start that with me. You can do a lot better and we both know it." 

Forehead creasing, Clark set his jaw as he flipped his mask back down. "Put your mask back on." 

Smiling, Lex did just that. "Now, that's more like it." 

* * *

"Do you want to tell me what the hell just happened?" 

Clark frowned. "What do you mean?" 

Still wearing the white outfit, Lex crossed his arms over his chest. "You were swinging your foil so fast that I could hardly see it." 

His insides twisting, Clark froze. "Was not." 

"What is it with you and these second grade word games today?" 

"You're seeing things." 

"Or not, as the case may be." Sighing, Lex gathered his gear and tossed over his shoulder, "You can see yourself out." 

"But I thought we were going to rent a movie." 

Slowly licking his lips, Lex faced his lover. "Having secrets is one thing. Actively lying to me is another." 

"This much is never enough for you, is it?" 

Tilting his head, Lex regarded him. "Excuse me?" 

"It's not enough for you to know that I'm strong or that I can move fast. You always have to push." 

"Expecting my SO to tell me the truth when I ask him a question is pushing?" 

"You can't just know how things are. You have to know why." 

Lex shrugged, feeling like he was missing something important. He hated that feeling. "It's the way I'm wired. I thought it was one of the things you liked about me." 

Throwing himself down on a nearby chair and managing not to break it, Clark leaned his elbows on his knees. "It is. Most of the time." 

Barking laughter, Lex thought this conversation got more surreal by the moment. "Most of the time. Let me guess, the exception being when you, God forbid, have to give me a straight, honest answer." 

Intently studying the back of his hand, Clark nodded. "Something like that." 

"You love me, but you sure as hell don't trust me, Clark. Go home." 

* * *

_I don't want to be with you right now._ The only way Lex could have cut him any deeper would have been to tell him he didn't love him. 

Clark stood at the window in his loft, longingly gazing toward the stars and wondering about his real home. Idly fiddling with his telescope, he realized that Lana's porch no longer held any temptation for him and he maneuvered it so that he could get a closer look at the starry night. 

"Clark?" 

He jumped at his mother's voice, and pulled his gaze away from the telescope. "Yeah?" 

"I thought you were going to watch a movie over at Lex's." 

Crossing his arms, Clark moved toward his hammock and slumped into it, swinging slightly. "We had an argument." 

"Is everything okay?" 

"No, Mom, it's never okay." 

"Clark..." 

Sitting up quickly, Clark refused to let go of his anger. "I am so tired of hiding who I am. I hurt him the other day because I was squeezing and I didn't realize it. He let that go and told me to be careful with other people." 

"But?" 

"But he asked me to take fencing lessons so he'd have a worthy opponent." 

"Oh, Clark, you didn't." 

"Yes, Mom, I did. For once in my whole messed up life I wanted to do something normal. Only he got mad because he knew I was holding back. So I really fenced with him. But then he wanted to know how I moved so fast." 

"And what did you tell him?" 

"I didn't tell him anything. I refused to answer, as usual." 

"He didn't take it well." 

"He told me that I didn't trust him and to see myself out." 

Stepping closer, Martha sank her fingers into the dark waves of her son's hair. 

He leaned into it, resting his head against her stomach. "It's just not fair, Mom. I can't tell anybody." 

"You can tell us." 

Shaking his head, he whispered, "It's not the same." 

"You can tell Pete." 

"He's not Lex." 

* * *

Sitting in a booth at the Talon, Clark gave the appearance of being engrossed in the book he held in front of his face. In truth, he couldn't tell you the first word on the page he'd been "reading" for the last hour. 

"Is this seat taken?" 

"Lex?" 

"Last time I checked. May I sit down or not?" 

Gesturing toward the other seat, Clark said, "Please." 

Lex ordered a coffee and turned twin blue lasers on Clark. "I've been doing some thinking." 

"Now there's a new one." 

"Would you rather I'd leave?" When Clark looked at his SO, or former SO, thinned lips greeted him. 

"No." 

"Then let me speak." 

Afraid to piss him off further, Clark merely gestured with his hand that he should continue. 

"Okay. We both have secrets. Of that, there's no question." 

Clark nodded. 

"We've both been guilty of half-truths and deceptions in the past." Waiting for Clark's affirmation, he leaned forward and spoke so that only Clark could hear him. "The question is, where do we go from here? Do we continue on in a relationship that will be unfulfilling for us both and just blindly hope that things will work out? Or do we at least try to be honest with each other?" 

"Starting with what happened the other day?" 

Shaking his head, Lex sighed. "You're missing the larger picture, here." He accepted his coffee when the waitress brought it over, an annoyed expression settling over his features. "Thank you." 

Watching Lex take a sip and then fall silent, Clark prompted him. "You were saying?" 

The older man ran a hand over his scalp. "I don't know what to say, Clark. I'm not ready to let you go, but I'm afraid we've reached an impasse." 

Clark's throat threatened to swell shut and smother him. "So this is it? We're done?" 

Leaning back, Lex shook his head, his hand ghosting around his coffee cup. "I hope not. But at this point I don't know what to do." 

"What do you want to do?" 

"What do I want? I want you to answer me without hesitation when I ask you a question. I want you to make me do the same thing." Scooting closer again, he lowered his voice. "I want us to make it. You made me fall for you, damn you, and that doesn't happen easily." 

Clark's smile reached his eyes. "It doesn't for me, either." 

Lex gave him a dry look. 

"Not like this." 

"Need I mention the flavors of the week since I've known you?" 

Anger flushed his chest. "I don't want to talk about them." 

"You're angry." 

"Of course, I am, Lex. I'm losing you and there's nothing I can do about it." 

Folding his arms across the table, Lex laid his forehead on them, his voice muffled. "You're not losing me. I don't know exactly what is happening, but I'm still with you." 

"Only me?" 

Lex lifted his head a fraction, searching Clark's eyes. "Yes. We've really got to deal with this insecurity thing you've got going on." 

"Later." 

"Agreed. We've got bigger dragons to slay at the moment." 

Laughing, Clark shook his head. 

Lex sat back up and leaned against the back of the booth. "Am I amusing you?" 

"You can't say anything ordinary. You've always got to dress it up." 

"I'm not sure what you mean." 

"Most people would say, 'we've got bigger fish to fry'. But you have to go slaying dragons." 

"This feels more like dragons than fish." 

* * *

Lana approached the table where Chloe sat, chewing on the eraser to her pencil. "You're drooling." 

"Huh?" Unable to pull her gaze away, she continued to study the boy of her dreams. 

"Chloe, you're staring. Do you want Clark to catch you giving him goo-goo eyes?" 

"Look at them. They're clueless." 

"About?" 

"Anything but the two of them. Whatever they're discussing, it must be intense. I think that's the closest to desperate I've ever seen Lex Luthor look. I mean, he's not even sitting up straight." 

"Maybe it's not Clark you're goo-gooing at." 

Frowning, Chloe swatted at Lana. "Oh, shut up. My dad works for him." 

"And Clark hangs on his every word." 

"He used to hang on your every word." 

"Key words here are 'used to', Chloe." 

* * *

Leaning against the edge of his desk, Lex attempted to read the first paragraph of the LexCorp quarterly financial report for the third time. The whole situation with Clark wreaked havoc on his concentration. 

A knock echoed in the large room and the door pushed open. "Lex?" 

Closing the purple file folder, he tossed it on his desk. "Clark." 

The younger man hesitated just inside the door, quietly shutting it behind him. "Is this okay?" 

"What? You coming to see me?" 

Clark nodded, taking a few steps forward. "I just didn't know since we left things sort of in limbo..." 

"Are you going to get over here and say hello to me properly or stand there being insecure all day?" 

A bright smile blossomed over Clark's lips as he closed the distance between them. Cradling Lex's head in his big hands, he brushed the cheek bones with his thumbs. Licking tentatively, he slid his tongue inside the welcoming warmth, nibbling at Lex's lower lip as he pulled back. "Hi." 

Clearing his throat, Lex attempted to regain the focus of his eyes. "Hi, yourself." 

"So, what do we do now?" 

"I guess that's up to you." 

"Don't break up with me, Lex." 

Sighing, Lex pushed away from the desk and walked to the middle of the room. "As much as I hate to admit it, I have no intention of dissolving this relationship." 

"This might be a bad time to mention it, but have I ever told you how much I love the way you talk?" 

A pleased expression played at the corners of Lex's lips as he faced his friend. "No, I don't believe you have." 

"You're so intelligent and... sophisticated. I could listen to you talk for hours." 

"I'll have to keep that in mind." The smile transformed into a purely smug grin as Lex coyly looked at Clark through his eyelashes, moving back into the younger man's personal space. 

"Okay. Back to that no intention thing." 

Idly sliding back into their comfortable dynamic, Lex could not deny that he wanted to throw Clark across his desk and fuck him raw at this particular moment. "You might not want to hear it if you knew some of the things I'm thinking right now." 

"What are you thinking?" 

Tilting his head, Lex gave it a quick shake. "I've already shared one of my fantasies with you. It's your turn." 

Turning away, Clark shook his head, but not before Lex caught the flush. "My fantasies are boring." 

The older man slid an arm around his stomach and pulled him back against his own body. "You mean they embarrass you." 

Picking at imaginary lint on Lex's starched white shirt, he nodded. "Something like that." 

Lex nibbled the closest earlobe. "Are you refusing to answer my question?" 

Moaning, Clark rested his whiskered cheek against Lex's smooth one. "Is this a test?" 

Lex declined to answer. 

"Promise you won't laugh?" 

"I didn't the last time you thought I would, did I?" 

"No." 

"So, try me." 

Inhaling deeply, Clark exhaled slowly, gripping the forearm that held him. "Ever since the day I saw you in the dungeon, I've had these... dreams... about you." 

"What sorts of dreams?" Lex rumbled into his ear, facetiously pleased with the shudder. 

"You..." 

"Yes?" 

"You're dressed like you were that day. And you do... things... to me." 

Lex sighed. "What sorts of things?" He licked the shell of Clark's ear and triumphed at the whimper. 

"Um." Clark pushed at the legs of his jeans as if they rode too high and too tight. "You'd force me to do things." 

"Is this your way of telling me you have a rape fantasy?" 

Cheeks glowing a deep crimson, Clark nodded. 

"If I was Freud, I might conclude that this means that you want to have sex with me, but you're afraid. And if I force you, you'll get what you want while at the same time be relieved of any responsibility. Am I getting warm?" 

"God, I hate it when you do that." 

"What?" 

"Read me so completely." 

"How does it make you feel?" 

"This is another test, isn't it?" 

"Draw your own conclusions." 

"Vulnerable." 

"How do you think it makes me feel to tell you that I have no intention of ending our relationship? That's like giving you license to shut me out and treat me like shit." 

"Did I shut you out just now?" 

"No. But that's the beauty of it. You have the knowledge that you could get by with it, but you won't because you're CK." 

"I love you, Lex. I'd never intentionally do anything to hurt you. And despite what you might think, I do trust you." 

"With some things, I think you do." 

"With the most important thing." 

Sliding his palm up until it lay over Clark's heart, Lex tilted his head forward until it rested on a muscular shoulder, hoping he hadn't just gotten in way over his head. "You passed." 

* * *

"Are you embarrassed to ride in our truck?" 

Lex sharply looked over at his SO, noting the innocent expression, the appearance of relaxed hands gripping the steering wheel. "Why would I be?" 

"That's not an answer." 

"If you insist. No, I am not embarrassed." He slid a palm across Clark's thigh as he spoke, smiling and removing it as Clark sat bolt upright. "In fact, as tacky as it might sound, I'm disappointed that I can't slide over in the middle and sit next to my man." 

Swerving, Clark recovered control of the truck before shooting Lex an annoyed expression. 

"Your father will probably disinfect the cab later anyway. Wouldn't want anything Luthor defiling the precious Kent family automobile." 

"Let's not talk about our fathers." 

"I just don't understand yours. I'd buy him a brand new truck of his choosing if he'd only let me." 

"It's called pride, Lex." 

"There's pride and then there's letting your family suffer to avoid any association with a dreaded Luthor." 

Sighing, Clark gripped the steering wheel tighter. "I'm not human." 

"What?" 

"I said, I'm not human." 

"Be serious, Clark." 

"You ask me to tell you the truth and then when I do, you mock me. That's why I didn't tell you!" 

"Clark?" 

"My father acts the way he does toward you because of me. He doesn't want you to find out about me because he's afraid for me. It has nothing to do with you." 

"Pull over." 

"I wouldn't have expected you to continue a relationship with an alien. I'll call your house and have Frederick pick you up." 

"You're not going to drive me home?" 

Startled, Clark searched his expression. "I thought that's why you wanted me to pull over, so you could get out." 

"I wanted you to pull over so we could talk. It's sort of difficult to have a serious conversation with the side of your SO's face." 

"I'm still your SO?" 

Lex half-grinned, reaching over and grabbing Clark's hand. "Of course, you are. You just gave me what I wanted." 

Face turning white as a sheet, Clark swallowed. "What's that?" 

"The truth." He squeezed the hand in his own. "You trusted me and gave me the truth." 

Shoulders relaxing a bit, Clark shrugged. "I didn't mean to." 

Lex chuckled. "You didn't mean to trust me or tell me the truth?" 

Watching their joined hands, Clark shook his head. "I just wanted you to know why my father acts the way he does. It has nothing to do with you." 

"And how is he going to react when he finds out you told me?" 

"He's going to kill me." 

"Do you want me to be there? I will." 

Startled eyes regarded him. "No. I don't want him to shoot you just for good measure." 

"Saving that for when he finds out that we're together?" 

Clark searched Lex's eyes. "Are you sure you're not weirded out?" 

"I'm sure." Mischief glinted in the blue eyes as he gestured toward Clark's groin. "I'm assuming you don't have tentacles down there or anything." 

"You are such an asshole." The words would have stung if not said with such utter fondness. 

* * *

"You told him WHAT?!" Jonathan roared at his son. 

Cringing and attempting to look small, Clark spied a glance at his father through one slit eyelid. Not good. Deciding to chance it, he looked at his mother, who was actually glaring at him, cheeks flushed with something. What, he wasn't sure. But she said nothing to reign her husband in. 

Face red and fists clenched, Jonathan gritted, "What on earth possessed you to tell Lex Luthor, of all people?" 

"He was trying to figure out why you hate him so much. So, I told him." 

"So I told him," Jonathan mocked. "What is wrong with you, boy?" 

"Oh, nothing. Other than the fact that I'm an alien." Tired of his father's condescending attitude, Clark stood up straight. "This is my life, Dad. I can tell who I want." 

Closing his eyes for a moment, Jonathan opened them as he released a calming breath. He placed his hand on Clark's shoulder, gently squeezing. "Son, we have questioned our decision to hide your abilities every single day since we found you. We're just afraid for you." 

"And that's exactly what I told him." 

"Couldn't you have told Lana... or Chloe... or..." Deflating, Jonathan let his words trail off. 

"Like it or not, Dad, Lex is one of my best friends. A person should be able to be himself around his friends." 

Martha finally stepped forward. "Normally, that's true, sweetheart. But you have to admit that Lex has been involved in some... questionable things." 

"Mom, I know the person Lex is when he's with me. That's all I need to know." 

She placed her palms on his cheeks, showing tender love that only a mother could. "I hope you're right." 

"Well," Jonathan began, "since you decided to tell him on your own, I hope you can live with the consequences. We can't protect you from someone like him." 

"Someone like him? What's that supposed to mean?" 

"I'm going to go chop some wood. I need some time alone." Jonathan pecked Martha on the cheek and shook his head as his gaze met his son's. 

"Mom?" 

"Give him some time, honey." 

"Are you mad at me, too?" 

Rubbing his back, she shook her head. "I'm not mad. Disappointed and a little afraid for you? Yes." 

"You're d-disappointed in me?" 

"I'm just disappointed that you didn't discuss this with us first." 

"It just happened. I didn't set out to tell him. The way Dad treats him hurts him, whether he'll admit it or not." 

"And Lex's feelings are worth risking your well being?" 

"To me, yes." 

She reached up and brushed a few strands of hair from his forehead. "I hope you can live with that decision." 

As she walked away, he felt the opposite of what he'd expected. He'd never felt more alone in his entire life. 

* * *

Jonathan raised his hand to knock on the slightly open door to Lex's study, but froze at Lionel Luthor's suggestive voice. 

"That Clark Kent is a fine looking boy." 

Whirling, Lex's posture stiffened as he marched toward his father, shoving him back against the wall. Closing a hand around the elder Luthor's neck, he squeezed slightly. "If you so much as think about him the wrong way, I swear on my mother's grave I will kill you myself." 

"My, my, Lex." Lionel's voice rasped at the lack of air. "Such emotion." 

Pushing away from his father, Lex ran his hands down the front of his shirt as if trying to dust the filth from them. Turning, he froze in place when he found Jonathan watching him, recovering his composure a fraction of a second later. 

Closing the door to the study behind him, Lex spoke quietly. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Mr. Kent." 

"What was it about?" 

"My father taints everything he touches." 

"Did you tell him?" 

An ironic smile twisted Lex's features unpleasantly. "You would think that of me, wouldn't you?" 

Jonathan remained silent. 

"I protect my friends, Mr. Kent. Clark is my best friend." Sliding his hands into the pockets of his dress pants, he added, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work." 

Numb, Jonathan just nodded, waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

* * *

Jonathan stood on the porch, gazing out into the endless night. A feminine pair of arms slid around him and hugged. 

"Serious thoughts?" 

He turned so that Martha stood beside him and dropped his arm around her shoulders, smiling as she kept her arms tightly around his stomach. "I saw something today, Martha, and I don't know quite what to make of it." 

"What did you see?" 

"I went to Lex's house--" 

"Jonathan..." 

"Now, hear me out." 

Sighing, she nudged him. "Go on." 

"When I got to the library, I was getting ready to knock, but Lionel was talking about Clark." 

Standing up straighter, she moved between Jonathan and the rail surrounding the porch, leaning on it. "What did he say?" 

"He told Lex that Clark is a good looking boy and the way he said it..." 

Tired of waiting, she prodded him. "The way he said it, what?" 

"It sounded like he was threatening Lex." 

"What did Lex do?" 

"That's where it gets weird. He shoved Lionel against the wall and threatened to kill him." 

"What?" she breathed. 

"Lionel mocked him for the display of emotion and Lex apologized that I had to witness the scene." 

"You think he'd do it?" 

"You didn't hear the determination in his voice when he told me that he protects his friends and stressed that Clark is his best friend." 

A cool breeze blew Martha's hair and Jonathan brushed it back from her face. "I wondered for a second if I've been wrong about him all along. What if I've treated the boy as a stand in for Lionel?" 

"I don't think there's any question that that's exactly how you've treated him. Let's just hope it doesn't turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy." 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean, what if he figures that no matter what he does he won't gain your approval? Why do the right thing?" 

"You mean, beyond the fact that it's the right thing to do?" 

"Remember, Lex was raised under Lionel's thumb. His world view is bound to be different than Clark's." 

"What's your point?" 

"All I'm saying is maybe we should give the boy the benefit of the doubt until he proves to us that he can't be trusted." 

"That'd be nice," floated up from the end of the porch. 

Martha jumped. "Clark?" 

"Yeah?" 

"How long have you been standing there?" 

"Don't worry, Mom. I know all about what happened. I've spent the last three hours listening to Lex ramble that every time he thinks he can't fall any farther in Dad's eyes, he proves himself wrong." With that, he entered the house, allowing the door to slam behind him before taking the steps three at a time. 

Turning back toward Martha, Jonathan said, "History is repeating itself." 

"It'd better not be." 

Noting the warning tone in her voice, he nodded and hung his head. 

* * *

Martha handed Clark two pieces of white bread. Frowning, he used his heat vision to toast it. 

"Hey, Clark." 

"Dad." The chill in his voice dropped the room ten degrees. 

Glancing at Martha, Jonathan took a deep breath. "How about a fishing trip?" 

Clark faced his dad, attempting to gauge the sincerity of the request. If his dad could try, he guessed he could, too. "I'll have to call Lex." 

Brow creasing, Jonathan asked, "Why?" 

"Because we were supposed to go see a Sharks game today." 

Holding an arm up as Clark stepped toward the phone, Jonathan back pedaled. "Son, if you'd rather watch a football game..." 

Dialing the phone, Clark shook his head. "It's cool, Dad. He won't mind. Lex? Hey, I'm going to need to cancel on you for today. Well, my dad asked me to go fishing. Are you sure? Yeah, okay. Me, too. Bye." 

"What was the 'me, too' about?" 

Regarding his dad, Clark shrugged. "He said he was glad we were trying to work things out." He hated lying to his dad, but he really didn't think he could handle the fact that he was telling Lex he loved him. 

* * *

Clark put on a good face in front of Lex, but he felt the same way about fishing as his friend -- bug bait. He derived a perverse pleasure out of their inability to penetrate his skin. 

"So... Lex was really glad that you were going fishing with me?" 

"Yes. He wants me to have a good relationship with you. He'd never admit it, but there's nothing he wants more than his father's approval. Or my father's, for that matter." 

"You're kidding." 

"True, you haven't given him much reason to feel that way, but why do you think he tries so hard to make you like him?" 

"Because I'm Clark's father?" 

"Because you're Jonathan Kent." Falling silent, he watched the ripples in the water. "That reminds me of a couple of things he said to me." 

"What?" 

"Once he told me that his father might rule the world, but mine will inherit the earth." 

Speechless, Jonathan stared at his son. 

"Remember when he offered us football tickets as an alternative to a fishing trip?" 

"Yeah." 

"He rescinded the offer when he found out you didn't want to go. He told me to go fishing with you. And then he told me that when his father dies, kings will come to his funeral, but when mine dies, his friends will come." 

Blinking, Jonathan cleared his throat. 

"Sound like the monster you've made him out to be?" 

"Clark..." 

"No, Dad. You've treated Lex like a leper ever since we met and I'm sick of playing referee so you can use him as a verbal punching bag. He's my friend and you don't have to like him, but I expect you to treat him with the same respect you'd treat any acquaintance." 

Silence fell for a long while as they sat in the bright Kansas sunlight, insects buzzing around. 

"Clark..." 

Knowing his father was working up to something, he waited. 

"I'm sorry if you think I'm being unfair with Lex." 

"I don't think it. I know it. He's known that I'm not human for two weeks now and he hasn't done anything to me and nobody has come to kidnap me and experiment on me. In fact, he's hardly mentioned it." 

"I find that hard to believe." 

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I don't really care right now, Dad. Lex knows I'm a freak and he accepts me. That's all I care about." 

"You're not a freak. Pete knows about your abilities and accepts you." 

"After he looked at me like I grew antennas or something." 

"It's a lot to take in for some people." 

"Yet Lex scarcely blinked once he found out I wasn't yanking his chain." 

"What do you mean?" 

"He didn't believe me at first." 

Re-casting his line, Jonathan leaned his elbows on his knees. "I really wish you had let it go at that." 

"The whole point was that he didn't think I trusted him. How would letting it go resolve anything?" 

"Clark..." It took Jonathan a while to form the words he wanted. "Are you sure that Lex's friendship is worth the risk you've taken?" 

"If you even have to ask, Dad, then you really don't know me at all, do you?" Clark studied the dark circles under his fathers eye's, the haggard appearance. "I care about both of you a lot. I'm just tired of having to be at odds with one or the other of you. What are you really afraid of, Dad?" 

"I think you know." 

"Yeah, I think I do. I think you're afraid that Lex will actually prove himself trustworthy and how will you be able to treat him like scum then?" 

"Clark Kent, I am your father!" 

"Then start acting like it instead of a ten-year-old holding a grudge!" 

"So much for a relaxing afternoon of male bonding," Jonathan sighed. 

In spite of himself, Clark couldn't help but grin. 

* * *

Lex entered one of his leisure rooms to find his lover sprawled across the floor, staring toward the ceiling. Stepping over the younger man, he sat on the black leather couch. "You know, I do have perfectly functional furniture." 

"Yeah." 

"You okay?" 

Rolling to his side, Clark crawled across the floor on his hands and knees, burying his face in his SO's lap. 

Lex combed his fingers through the wavy hair. "You didn't answer me." 

Suddenly looking up at him, Clark blinked and smiled. "I think I'm ready now. Make love to me?" 

Mouth hanging slightly open, Lex shook his head. "No." 

"No?" 

"I want you to have sex with me because it's what you want, not because you're trying to avoid dealing with your parents." 

"But it is what I want." 

"I'm sorry, Clark, but I don't believe you." 

Sighing, Clark laid his head once again on Lex's knees, hugging the calves. "You know, if the people of Smallville knew what a mushball you are, your reputation would be ruined." 

* * *

"Would you like me to have your mail forwarded here?" 

Frowning, Clark regarded his friend. "What?" 

Feet propped on his desk, Lex rocked in his chair ever so slightly. "Avoidance is not the way to deal with your problems." 

"Don't go all adult on me. You're supposed to be on my side." 

Lex dropped his feet to the floor, resting his forearms on the surface of his desk. "I am on your side, but that includes telling you when you're wrong." 

"You think I'm wrong?" Sitting up straight, Clark followed his friend's movements as he stood. 

"I think you're reinforcing your parents' opinion of me." Sliding a finger along the glass surface, he circled the desk. "Spending all your time at my house is just going to give the impression that I'm creating a rift in their relationship with you." 

"You're doing it again. Why do you always have to be right?" 

Shrugging, Lex allowed a slight smile to adorn his lips. 

"They want to keep me in this safe little box. Every time they look at me, I can see the disappointment in their eyes." 

"CK, no relationship worth having is always easy. It will take time for them to learn to trust you again. I'm sure they feel like you breached their trust by going out on your own and telling me a secret they've been working desperately to keep your whole life." 

"But it's _my_ life! I'm so tired of having to hide who I am!" 

Moving forward, Lex pulled Clark against his abdomen, petting his wavy hair. "I know you don't want to hear this, but I think they're right." 

Butting his head against Lex's stomach, Clark remained silent. 

"Remember that kid at your school? At first everybody thought he was cool, but then they thought he was a freak." 

"He used his abilities for his own gain, not to help people." 

"And that's exactly what sets you above the rest. But people won't know that until they get to know you. There are some people that will try to manipulate you for their own personal gain." 

"I know." 

"What do you mean, you know?" 

"People have tried to manipulate me before." 

Lex tipped Clark's head back with a touch to his chin. "Who?" 

"It doesn't matter." 

"The hell it doesn't!" 

"Remember the 'no harm to assholes' rule? Well, it applies to you, too." 

Shaking his head, Lex grinned. "You're such a brat. Leave it to you to throw my own words back in my face." 

"But you love me." 

Awed at the hope in the upturned eyes, Lex ran a finger across a lightly whiskered jaw. "Yes, I do. Now, go home and deal with your parents." 

"Do I have to?" 

"No more kisses until you do." 

"That's not fair!" 

Lex returned to the seat behind his desk, tossing over his shoulder, "All's fair in love and war." 

"Hey!" 

Eyes twinkling, Lex chuckled at the indignant tone, making shooing motions with his hands. Moments later, the door to his office slammed, the floor trembling with the force of it. Life was good. 

* * *

Sitting at the kitchen table, Martha looked up when Clark stepped inside. "Well, it remembered where it lives." 

Sort of feeling like he'd landed on foreign soil, he shrugged, slumping into a chair opposite her. "Lex made me come home." 

"Did you two have a fight?" 

Leave it to his mom to go from sarcastic to maternal in the blink of an eye. "No. He said that if I kept avoiding you that it'd give the impression that he was trying to come between us." 

The words, "I never said the boy wasn't smart," drifted over his shoulder. 

Clark tilted his head back. "Hey, Dad." 

"Son." The tone didn't drop the temperature in the room quite as drastically as before. 

"I hate this." 

"What?" his parents asked in unison. 

"I can't stand you guys being disappointed in me." Crossing his arms on the table, he laid his forehead on them, his voice somewhat muffled. "Lex says you probably feel like I breached your trust by going out on my own to tell him, but I didn't mean to. It was just what I felt was right at the time." 

"And now?" Jonathan asked, squeezing his son's shoulder as he sat next to him. 

Clark lifted his head to meet his father's eyes. "I stand by my decision." 

Sighing, Jonathan rubbed his hands over his face. "I hope you can live with that decision, Clark. I really do." 

"Why do you hate him so much?" 

A strange expression settled over his father's features. "The truth? I don't hate him. I just don't trust him because I'm afraid for you." 

"Don't be." 

His mother broke the tension for the moment. "That's like telling us not to love you. A parent can't help but worry, especially a parent who is used to protecting your secret." 

"Lex's friendship means a lot to me. I couldn't let him think I don't trust him." 

"And this friendship is worth exposing yourself?" 

Clark narrowed his eyes at his father's strange emphasis on "friendship". "It is to me. Dad, why does he get under your skin so much?" 

Pushing back from the table, Jonathan moved to look out the window, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Other than the fact that since you met him you listen to him more than you do me?" 

"No, I don't, Dad." 

"It sure seems like it." 

"That's probably because Lex tries to look at a situation logically instead of letting his emotions get in the way." 

Jonathan turned, leaning back against the counter. "What emotions? I don't think the Luthors possess real emotion." 

"You don't know Lex like I do, Dad. Maybe if you spent a little more time trying to get to know him instead of hanging on to that childish grudge..." Clark stood, the chair scraping against the floor. "You know what, never mind. I'm so sick of this." 

His parents watched helplessly as their son grew into an adult before their very eyes. 

* * *

"That was fast." 

"My dad is so stubborn." 

"And you're nothing like him in that regard." 

Frowning, Clark smiled in spite of himself at the playful grin directed his way. "Do I at least get points for effort?" 

"As long as the effort continues, yes." 

Pushing himself up from the lotus position, Clark crawled toward Lex and positioned himself between the other man's thighs. 

"You know, you really stir a kink in me when you crawl toward me like that." 

"Sounds interesting," Clark said, running a single finger along the thigh of Lex's thin dress pants. "I meant it when I said I'm ready. It's not just because my parents are mad." 

Slumping his head forward, Lex accidentally knocked their foreheads together. "Ouch." He pulled back and rubbed his own. "That didn't hurt you, did it?" 

"No. And don't try to change the subject." 

"I must admit that the idea of making love to you is a bit... frightening. What if I don't live up to your expectations? Will you still love me this much?" 

Clark tilted his head, cradling his lover's slim hips in his hands. "I never pictured you suffering from performance anxiety." 

"You see a side of me that I don't let anyone else see, Clark. You've put me up on such a pedestal that if it's not perfect I won't live up to your expectations." 

Straightening, Clark edged closer and kissed the other man tenderly. "You live up to my expectations just by breathing." 

"Set your meter a little low, don't you think?" 

"I don't think you get it. Even if you have a microscopic cock, which by the way, I know you don't--" 

"And how do you know that?" 

"I have checked you out, you know. Just because I wasn't ready to touch doesn't mean I didn't look every chance I got." 

Lex barked a laugh, running his fingers through Clark's wavy hair before dropping a kiss to his skull. "I love you so much, Clark. I hope you know that." 

Pulling back, he beamed. "I do now." Smiling deviously, he pushed himself closer to Lex. "Now, prove it. Make love to me." 

"I'm not this strong, Clark. I can't refuse you." 

"Then don't." 

The hunger in Lex's eyes almost frightening, Clark remained passive as his lover devoured his mouth, the crotch of his jeans ready to burst. 

* * *

Strength sapped from a day full of corporate meetings, Lex hesitated when he noticed the open door to the dungeon. "Frederick?" 

The older man appeared almost out of thin air, hands politely folded in front of him. "Sir?" 

A raised eyebrow indicated his question about the door. 

"Young master Kent requested admittance. You rarely deny him anything he desires, so I didn't see the harm." 

Fighting the twitch at the corners of his lips, Lex nodded. "Thank you." Rejuvenated, he quietly made his way down the concrete stairs and watched Clark discretely. 

His young friend stood in front of a full length mirror, doing his best to fit a black leather collar around his neck. 

Chuckling, Lex made his presence known. "That one won't fit you." 

Whirling, Clark enclosed the collar in a large fist, holding it behind his back. 

Lex gave him a deadpan look and nodded at the mirror behind him. "That was mine." He retrieved a larger one and fastened it around Clark's neck, turning him to look at himself in the mirror. 

Missing a step, Clark nearly fell and Lex caught him around the waist. 

"Clark?" 

"I don't feel..." He finally connected with his reflection, the fingers of his left hand immediately going to the collar. "What is this?" 

"It's meteor rock. Why?" 

Clark searched his eyes in the reflective surface of the mirror, a sheen of sweat developing on the younger man's skin. 

"Clark?" 

"I'm allergic to meteor rock." 

Immediately, Lex reached for the snap to the collar, only to have his wrist enclosed in a large hand. "We need to get it off you. Quit messing around." 

"It's not so bad now." Forehead bunched in concentration, Clark ran from one end of the dungeon to the other, finally smiling triumphantly. 

"You going to share the secret with me?" 

"I'm normal." 

"I wouldn't go that far." He chuckled as Clark swatted at him and then pressed their bodies close, licking at his lower lip. 

"Let's go shoot some hoops." 

Dropping his forehead onto a muscular shoulder, Lex thought this sensuous farm boy would be the death of him if he didn't get laid and soon. 

* * *

Clark swiped at the sweat dripping from his bangs as he dribbled the ball, his concentration shot by the saturated tee shirt clinging to Lex's chest. Turning his back, he bounced the ball faster, going for the lay-up. Two points. 

His victorious smile died prematurely as he landed too close and sent his friend sprawling on the varnished wood. Stunned, Lex shook his head and blinked before giving up and laying his head down with a thunk. 

"Lex!" Scrambling to his knees, Clark gently placed a hand underneath the bald head. "Are you okay?" 

The other man regarded him, but no recognition dawned on the features. 

"I thought the collar would keep me from getting too rough." Clark crawled closer, resting his head on a slender collar bone. "Please don't be hurt." 

"Gotcha." 

Pulling back, he rolled his eyes at the mischief in the grey-blue eyes as slim legs wrapped around his waist and locked. "You are such a brat." 

"Hey, you fouled me." Lex nibbled at the edge of Clark's jaw. "Now you've got to sit in the penalty box." 

"That's hockey, not basketball." 

"Who cares?" 

Clark shuddered as Lex continued to tongue bathe his neck, the air cooling his overheated skin giving him goosebumps. 

Eyes steamy, Lex pulled back and met his gaze. "You know, you're the only person I've ever been with that made me think I could get used to being on the bottom." 

Frowning, Clark knew he should understand. "That's a good thing, right?" 

Lex grinned and spoke against his lips. "That's a very good thing." 

The suggestive tone wracked Clark's entire body with an uncontrollable shudder. He tried to extricate himself before embarrassing himself again, but only found one filthy rich boy still hanging from his neck and waist. 

* * *

Trying to battle his unruly hair into submission, Clark watched Lex in the mirror as he stood directly behind him. The other man reached for his collar and he pulled away. "Let me keep it." 

"Clark, we don't know what prolonged exposure might do to you." 

"I want to keep it," he stubbornly reiterated. 

Sighing, Lex leaned against the counter, searching Clark's eyes for a long moment. "Follow me." 

Clark dropped the brush on the counter with a plastic clacking sound and curiously followed his lover. He watched as Lex opened a drawer on his bedside table and retrieved what looked like a toiletry bag. "I was going to wait until you were eighteen before giving this to you. But, as usual, nothing ever goes as planned where you're concerned." 

Grinning, Clark shrugged. 

Lex pulled out a strip of black leather that looked to be identical in size and texture to the one he now wore, minus the meteor rock. He held the inscription up for Clark to read. _Exclusive property of Lex Luthor_

Before Lex could blink Clark had the meteor ridden collar off and flung onto the bed, presenting his neck for the new one. 

"You realize that I'm going to prison if either of your parents stumbles upon this." His words resigned, he fastened the leather around Clark's neck. "Correction, I'll go to prison if your mother finds it. If your father finds it, I'll be dead." 

"Please, Lex. Let me keep it." 

"You know, there was a point in time that I had no problem saying no to you." 

Clark smiled in response, pecking Lex on the lips. "Thank you." 

"I hope they allow conjugal visits." 

* * *

Clark burst into his SO's office, not noticing that he interrupted a meeting between Lex and Lionel. 

"Clark?" 

"I need to talk to you." 

"What's going on?" 

Finally noticing the third party in the room, Clark glanced at Lionel and then back at Lex. "Alone." 

"Dad, excuse us, please." 

Lionel sighed. "You're growing soft, my dear boy. Allowing emotional entanglements to stand in the way of business." 

"Dad, I said leave us." 

Walking stick in hand, Lionel showed himself out, the slamming door voicing his displeasure at being ejected. 

Circling his desk, Lex moved in front of Clark, placing a hand on each cheek until the younger man met his gaze. "CK?" 

"It's all my fault, Lex." He laid his head on Lex's shoulder, wrapping arms around his abdomen, allowing the hands petting his own back to soothe him. 

"Where've you been? You smell." 

"Homecoming." 

"What's your fault? What happened?" 

"A friend of mine was raped and I just let it happen." Through his anguish he noticed the slight flinch when he said "raped". 

"I find that hard to believe," Lex answered in a slightly unsteady voice. 

"One of the guys from the other school dragged her behind the bleachers and raped her." Less pronounced this time, the flinch was still there. "Nobody heard her screams over the noise of the game, not even me." 

"Clark, you're not a super man. You can't save everybody." Pulling away a bit, Lex tipped the younger man's chin up. "Although I must admit, you give it your best shot." 

Beginning to regain his composure, Clark stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked to look out at the starry night. "I just can't help thinking I should have known something was wrong instead of goofing off with Lana." 

A thumb caressed the nape of his neck and he shivered. "Clark, you are a teenager. It was your homecoming game. You're supposed to goof off with your friends." 

"But--" 

Lex insinuated himself between Clark and the window, placing his forefinger and middle finger against the younger man's lips. "No buts. You are not responsible to save the world." 

"But--" 

"Clark." 

"I have these abilities. What good are they if I can't use them to help people?" 

"Do we need to count the times you've saved my life alone?" 

"I didn't save you when you needed me the most." 

"What are you talking about? You pulled me out of the river." 

"You flinch every time I say rape." After Lex averted his eyes, Clark asked, "Were you raped?" 

He tried to move away, but Clark held him firm. Glancing at the younger man, he quickly looked away, his body almost a dead weight. "It was a long time ago, Clark, in another life." 

"Who?" 

"It doesn't matter." 

"The hell it doesn't. The 'no harm to assholes' rule does not apply to people who have caused you physical and emotional harm." 

"Clark, I'm fine. I've dealt with it and it's in the past. And that's where it's going to stay." 

Tenderly kissing Lex's forehead, Clark held him. "I'm sorry." 

"For what?" 

"For not being there to save you." 

* * *

Leaning on the wooden fence, Clark looked out over the green fields of the Kent Farm, a desperation eating at his soul that even Lex couldn't obliterate. He jumped when a strong grip landed on his shoulder. 

Jonathan released him and leaned on the fence beside his son, gazing at the same greenery. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but Lex is right." 

A twitch eating at the corners of his lips, Clark clasped his hands together. "I wish I had a tape recorder." 

Kicking at his son's boot, Jonathan gruffed, "Don't push your luck." 

Suddenly, Clark sobered, wishing that his parents would one day welcome Lex to the family. If Lex wanted to be a part of the family that way. He sighed. 

Misreading the morose mood, Jonathan attempted to cheer him up. "Son, you are just one person. As special as you are, there are a lot of bad things that happen in this world, even in Smallville. You do what you can, but you can't save the world." 

"I can try." 

* * *

Throwing his back pack over his shoulder, Clark scanned the room for anything he might have forgotten. "Chloe, you want to grab my jacket?" 

"Sure," she chirped, hair spiking in a million different directions. 

A muted thud hit the ground and he missed her bending to pick up the piece of leather that fell out of his inside pocket. 

"Do you want to tell me what this is?" 

He turned and, realizing that she held his collar in her hand, snatched it away from her. "No." Stuffing it into his pocket, he hesitantly met her inquiring gaze. "You can't tell anybody about this, not even Pete or Lana." 

"She's in love with you, you know." 

Sighing, he attempted to work through the vortex of emotions swelling in his chest. "I waited so long to hear those words. Now, they just make me sad." 

A self deprecating smile adorned her lips. "Guess she can just join the ranks of the hopelessly pining for Clark Kent club." 

Frowning at yet another barb at the fact that he didn't feel the same way Chloe did, Clark still valued her friendship. "I can't help how I feel. I love you both, just not like that. Not anymore." 

Clearing her throat, she brushed past him. "Hey, we'll take what we can get, right?" 

As they stepped from the barn, Clark came face to face with the other half of his soul. 

"Hello, Clark. I just came by to see if you needed a ride to school, but it looks like Ms. Sullivan has that covered." 

Suddenly pissed at the whole situation, Clark simply walked away. "I can't talk right now." 

"O-kay," floated over his shoulder and he stopped, closing his eyes, jaw clenched. 

"I'll be in the car." Chloe wasted no time making her escape. 

He turned to find blue eyes studying him. "I'm sorry." Kicking at some gravel, he cursed under his breath as the dust settled on Lex's pristine shoes. "She found my collar." When Lex didn't respond, he glanced up to find his lover patiently waiting. "I should have been more careful." 

Lex slid his hands into his pockets. "Yes, you should have." 

Looking down at the gravel, Clark moved a few pebbles around with the toe of his boot. "Are you going to take it back?" 

"We'll discuss it later. How did she react?" 

Clark sighed and looked up at the cloudy morning sky. "She told me Lana is in love with me." 

"Bring her by the mansion after school. We need to have a talk." 

"Lex..." 

"It's not a request, Clark." With those words, the other man climbed in his Porsche and left a cloud of dust in his wake. 

Wondering if the day could get any worse, Clark squeezed himself into the passenger seat of Chloe's car and sullenly stared out the window. 

"So," she teasingly said about half way to school, "'exclusive property of Lex Luthor', huh?" 

When he met her eyes, he noted the mischievous twinkle. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Have I ever told you how much your friendship means to me?" 

She tilted her head as if thinking. "Yeah, but it's nice to hear it once in a while." After a few moments passed, she spoke again. "It certainly explains some things." 

"Like?" When she failed to answer, he poked her in the ribs, allowing a smile to break free at her girly giggle. 

"Like why you're the only guy in Smallville that didn't fall under the spell of the former Mrs. Luthor." 

Anger swirled like a tropical storm. "I don't want to talk about her." 

"Ooh, jealousy." 

* * *

"I should've known you two were doing it." 

"Chloe!" Clark scolded, emphasis on the "ee" sound. 

"I mean, reporters are supposed to be observant." She entered Lex's airy office as Clark held the door for her. "It's not like it's not obvious when you two are together." 

Tugging at her elbow, Clark attempted a stern look. "Lex might hear you." 

An amused voice echoed in the acoustics of the room. "He just might." 

Clark stood up straight. "Hi, Lex." 

"Clark, Ms. Sullivan. Have a seat and I'll be with you in a moment." 

After they sat down, Clark watched Lex make corrections on a piece of paper and move it to another stack before closing both stacks into a blue file folder. He hated being banished to this side of the desk, his irrational fears that Lex would dump him right in front of Chloe running away with him. 

As usual, the fears were unfounded. Lex circled his desk and squatted in front of Clark, a closed fist tapping him just above the knee. "How was your day?" 

Aware of Chloe's eyes on them, he just shrugged and looked away. "It was a day." As if a thought occurred to him, he met Lex's gaze again. "How was yours?" 

With a mischievous smile, Lex echoed Clark's words. "It was a day." He stood, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Ms. Sullivan, I trust you had a pleasant day?" 

"Oh. Um, yeah. It was fine." 

"She enjoyed torturing me." 

Lex lounged back in his desk chair, legs crossed with an ankle resting on the opposite knee. "Details." 

"Every time she got me alone, she'd ask me how it feels to be..." 

"To be what?" Tilting his head, Lex waited. 

Clark remained silent and scowled when Chloe answered for him. "To be the exclusive property of Lex Luthor." 

An evil grin twisted Lex's lips. "Did you answer?" 

Feeling the heat rise on his cheeks, he shook his head. As the silence grew heavy, he searched Lex out with his gaze, only to find him and Chloe engaged in a staring match. 

"You say we're obvious when we're together. How so?" 

Chloe rolled her eyes. "You two are so clueless. It's like even the air is electrically charged. A person could get shocked just being in the same room." 

Groaning, Clark swiped a hand over his face. 

"Clark?" He glanced up at Lex's voice. "Does this make you uncomfortable?" 

"A little." 

"How do I say this without sounding arrogant?" 

Clark smiled. "Don't worry about it. Arrogant suits you." 

A playful frown marred Lex's smooth forehead. "Very well. You're going to have to get used to attention if you're going to be with me. At some point, we will get found out. You need to prepare yourself for that eventuality." 

Making a fist, Clark lightly tapped the arm of the chair he sat in. "I guess I'd better tell my parents then, huh?" 

"Oh, my God, Clark." Chloe tugged at his sleeve. "Your dad will go spastic." 

* * *

"Shall we retire to the leisure room?" 

Clark and Chloe stood at Lex's words, following him at a distance as he led them down the hall. He kept a reign on his smile as he listened to the whispered conversation he pretended not to hear. 

"Retire? Does he really talk like that?" 

"Hey." Clark's voice grew defensive. "I like the way he talks." 

"You probably like everything about him." 

"Not everything." 

So much for his smile. 

"Sometimes he shuts me out and hides behind an impassive mask. I hate that." 

Lex filed that for future reference, noting the vehemence with which Clark said "hate". 

* * *

Allowing Clark to keep his distance, Lex seated himself on the couch, close enough that his fingers absently brushed Clark's shoulder. 

"I appreciate your discretion, Ms. Sullivan." 

"Call me Chloe already, and it's no problem. Clark is my friend." 

Lex ventured a glance over at his solemn lover, but pressed on nevertheless. "The collar needs to be addressed." 

Clark's cheeks glowed and he studied the veins on the back of his hands as if they held the answers to the universe. "Lex, do we have to--" 

"She found your collar because of your carelessness. She deserves an explanation." 

Green blazes of fire stared back at him, a yellow ring sizzling around the irises. "I'm going for a walk." 

A dull ache always pierced him when Clark directed anger toward him, but in this case he knew the true anger was at the situation and at himself. 

Chloe spoke as he watched Clark briskly walk away. "You don't owe me anything, Lex." 

"I've found that if you treat others with respect, they will generally return the favor. I'd like to request that you don't share your knowledge of our relationship with anyone." 

"You're requesting my silence? No threats to fire my dad?" 

A sad smile wrinkled the edge of Lex's lips. "I am not my father. I've found that one can catch more bees with honey." 

"Fair enough. So, the collar. You really see Clark as one of your possessions?" 

Lex barked a laugh, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees. "Hardly. As if anyone could possess Clark even if they tried." 

She studied her rings for a moment. "I think you could. He's been in love with you since day one." 

"Chloe--" 

"Although, I must admit it would be kind of hard not to fall for someone that wooed him so slyly." 

Leaning back against the couch, Lex crossed his legs, the impassive mask Clark mentioned falling into place. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean." 

"Give me some credit here, Lex. You tried to give him a brand new truck. You set him up with tickets to a concert to take Lana. You got the Sharks to come and play with Whitney. Need I continue?" 

"I'd hardly consider trying to increase his chances with a high school girl wooing him." 

"That's probably what he thought until it was too late and he'd fallen hard for you. The rest of us just couldn't compare to that." 

Lex released the mask a fraction. "The collar is merely a symbol. Clark craves to feel like he belongs to something." 

"Or in this case, someone." 

Nodding his assent, Lex stood. "Thank you for stopping by." 

Chloe gathered her things and stood as well. "Don't worry, Lex. I won't tell anyone." 

"I wasn't worried, Ms. Sullivan." Placing his hand at the small of her back, he guided her toward the hall. "I know you care as deeply for him as he does for you." When they reached the hall, he said, "Frederick will show you out." 

* * *

Dread washed over Clark as he heard the quiet click of Lex's dress shoes. 

"A little pissed, were we?" Lex fingered the punching bag that hung from silver chains attached to the ceiling. Crouching on the other side, he peered at Clark through the new hole in the bag. "At me, at Chloe, at your parents, at the guy who attacked your friend?" 

Facing away, Clark kicked at an imaginary piece of gravel. "Can I choose all of the above?" 

"Ouch." 

Clark turned back around, chin set. "I don't like the way you talked to me in front of her." 

Lex stepped closer, enough inside Clark's personal space that their bodies almost touched. "I don't like that you allowed the situation to arise or that I allowed you to talk me into giving you the collar." 

Clark moved back, adamantly shaking his head. "Don't take it back, Lex. I promise I'll be careful." 

Lex stepped forward again. "You promised that before." 

"Please, Lex." 

"Damn you." 

Blinking, Clark gasped. "What?" 

Closing the distance between them, Lex took Clark's face between his hands and sealed their lips. "Damn you for stealing my ability to say no. You know I'll give you anything you desire." 

Eyelids slowly closing, Clark wrapped his arms around his lover. "I know. Thank you." 

Warm lips pressed against the side of his neck, producing an involuntary shudder. "You have to be careful, Clark. I really could go to prison, even with my army of lawyers." 

He tightened his hold. "I know. I'm so sorry." 

"Ease up on the ribs, Clark." 

"Sorry." 

* * *

"I don't want your pity." 

"Huh?" Clark gazed up at his friend from his horizontal vantage point, head lying in the other man's lap, long fingers stroking through his hair. 

Voice gentle, Lex continued the lazy caresses. "I've seen all the concerned glances, you looking at me as if I'm going to shatter at any given moment." 

"I'm just worried." 

Sighing heavily, Lex cupped Clark's cheek, thumb tracing the high bone. "It was eight years ago." 

Clark tugged at one of the buttons on Lex's silk shirt. "You don't have to tell me." 

"You'll drive me crazy if I don't." 

An evil grin turned up pouty red lips. "Probably." 

"There's no probability about it." Running his free hand over his scalp, Lex gazed toward the stream of golden sunlight painting rectangular patterns along the hardwood. "I was fourteen years old. He was my PE teacher. The rumor was that he was an equal opportunity pervert. He would look up girls' and boys' shorts while they did their floor exercises." 

"I was still having trouble with the loss of my mother, so as you can imagine, my mouth got me into trouble and I ended up having to stay after school." 

Clark liked to imagine what Lex must've been like at that age, all spoiled rich kid bravado. He must've given it away because Lex asked, "What?" 

"I'm just imagining you at fourteen." 

"Please don't. I was all head, like one of those atrocious bobblehead dolls." 

Chuckling quietly, Clark couldn't envision Lex ever looking atrocious by any stretch of the imagination. 

"Are you going to let me finish my story?" 

Clark gestured that he should continue and made a motion of zipping his lips. 

"Well, he worked me out until I was so exhausted I thought I would drop. Just after I got out of the shower, he cornered me." 

Blinking rapidly, Lex swallowed. Several long minutes passed before he spoke again. "I'd only had time to put on my underwear before... before. He asked me if I was hairless all over and groped me, hard." 

Gasping as he could feel Lex closing his legs against the memory, Clark's stomach did a flip. "Lex, I'm so sorry. I should never have asked you that." 

With a gentle expression softening his features, Lex shook his head and brushed his lips over Clark's forehead. "You asked because you, for whatever reason, have become fixated on me. I'm not complaining, by the way. He asked because I was like the freakshow at the circus." 

Still unsettled, Clark internally chastised himself for lustily thinking about Lex's hairless body. He jumped when two fingers tapped him on the forehead. 

"What's going on in there?" 

Closing his eyes, he shook his head. "Nothing." 

A gentle caress across his eyebrow brought his eyes back open. "I thought we were trying honesty on for size." 

"I make myself sick." 

"What on earth are you talking about?" 

Clark searched Lex's pale blue eyes, finding only curiosity. "Thinking about you... thinking about all your smooth skin..." 

Glancing toward Clark's swelling groin, Lex arched a brow, the twinkle in his eyes teasing. "Does it get you hot, CK?" 

"We're talking meltdown." 

"Why does that make you sick?" 

"Because that's what he..." 

"Hold it right there. He was a pervert that preyed on children. You are a perfectly normal teenager, lusting after his lover." 

"I guess." 

"Did you lust after Ryan?" 

"No! He was just a kid!" 

"My point exactly. You wouldn't dream of having sex with a pre-pubescent child, much less forcing yourself on him. The teacher in question had no such problem." 

"I've noticed your avoidance of his name, by the way. Don't think you're slick, just because you're bald." 

Lex laughed. "Can't slip one past you. And I won't be using his name for obvious reasons." 

Crossing his arms, Clark set his jaw. "He's still not protected by the 'no harm to assholes' rule." 

"You're adorable when you're protective." 

"Whatever," Clark muttered, wishing he could hide the flush rising on his cheeks. "Go on with your story." 

Lacing the fingers of one hand through Clark's, Lex stared blankly into space for a while. "He threw me against the wall, ripped my underwear off, and fucked me until I bled. I was a fairly small kid at that point and he was a big guy." 

Blood singing through his veins, Clark clenched his teeth. 

"Ease up on the fingers, Clark." 

"Sorry." He tried to let go of Lex's hand, but the other man wouldn't allow it. 

"Afterward, I managed to find Headmaster Reynolds." At Clark's expression, Lex held up a finger to shush him. "He drove me home and tried to pretend the whole incident didn't exist, gave me the whole spin about how if I told anyone that I would ruin the teacher's career." 

"Well, my father's assistant had me taken to the hospital, and when my father saw me... that was it. Headmaster Reynolds was done. And before you go trying to like my father, it wasn't out of any concern for me. It was more like outrage that one of his possessions had been scuffed on Headmaster Reynolds' watch." 

"That sorry son of a bitch." 

"Which one?" 

"Take your pick." 

Smiling, Lex laid his head back on the cushion behind it. "So, now you know why your esteemed principal holds such enmity toward me and why his distaste carries over onto you." 

"He should be in prison." 

"Too messy. The teacher, however, is in prison. My father made his resources available to the prosecution to send a message to anyone contemplating messing with a Luthor." 

Clark moved very quickly and Lex blinked when he found his lover straddling his lap. "I'm sorry." 

Running his fingers along Clark's cheek, Lex shook his head. "There's nothing to forgive. Like I said, it's not your responsibility to save the world." 

* * *

Standing quietly in Lex's bathroom, indecision wrapped Clark in a cocoon as he watched the silhouette behind the frosty glass. Time was of the essence because in the absence of hair, Lex didn't take long to cleanse himself. Clark nodded to himself and slid the door open, stepping inside. 

"What the--?" Lex demanded, twisting his body to see who dared invade his privacy. Upon recognition, he quickly brought his hand to his side, pretending he had not just been working himself like a master. 

His gaze predatory, Clark pushed his lover against the tile wall. "It's my birthday, Lex. No more excuses." 

Lex's Adam's Apple bobbed as Clark held his arms against the wall and explored clean smelling skin with his tongue. "Clark, we'll miss our reserva-- oh, fuck it." Sliding his wrists free from the loose grasp, Lex grabbed Clark's cheeks and pulled him forward hard enough that their teeth clanked together. 

Not willing to give up control of this encounter, Clark effortlessly lifted Lex's legs from the ground, pressing their groins together. 

"Ah, God." 

Grazing his lips over Lex's cheek, Clark smirked. "Like that?" He punctuated his words with a rolling thrust and Lex threw his head back with a thunk, gasping for air. "You're even hotter than I imagined, all slick, smooth skin. I could come just looking at you." 

Jerking at the sweet pain as Clark bit his earlobe, Lex searched his lover's face. "Clark? What the hell?" 

Clark continued rolling his hips slowly, their cocks sliding against one another deliciously. "I want you so bad. Please don't make me stop." 

Lex sighed and pressed his hips forward. "You do and I'll find a way to kill you." 

Chuckling against Lex's neck, Clark demanded, "Wrap your legs around me." Lex immediately complied and he gently brushed his thumbs over small nipples, laughing out loud at the squirming mass of ruthless businessman in his arms. 

"Oh, God." Squirming transformed into spasming and finally quivering. "Oh, God, Clark." 

The guttural way Lex said his name took him by surprise and his whole body seized. As he fell, he was grateful for the deceptively strong arms that caught him, that would always catch him. 

* * *

Squinting against the random rays of sunlight shining through the many trees, Lex squeezed Clark's hand as they walked. "I can't believe what a sleaze you were." At Clark's flush, he admitted, "I still get hard thinking about it." 

The shyness returned suddenly. "Really?" 

Lex tilted his head up and closed his eyes momentarily, drinking in the warmth of the sun. "You have no idea how sexy you are." They walked in silence for a few moments, the only sound that of leaves and twigs crunching under their feet. "Was it good for you?" 

"I almost passed out, Lex. What do you think?" 

He chuckled. "Fair enough." 

"I can't believe you're actually holding my hand in public. You're so phobic about anyone finding out." 

Lex sighed. "We're in the woods. And I'm not phobic about people finding out, just your parents. Your father already hates me as it is." 

"He doesn't hate you." 

"Don't patronize me, Clark." 

"He just worries, that's all. Alexander, Alexander, wherefore art thou Luthor?" 

Cracking up, Lex spied the impish face of his lover. "Oh, that was bad." 

Clark pulled him into a loose embrace, halting their progress. "But we're not." 

"No, we're not." Tipping his head upward slightly, Lex grazed his lover's lips. 

"We're going to make it, aren't we?" 

A smile that originated deep within his soul blossomed on Lex's lips. "Yeah, I think we are." 

* * *

Sitting at his desk, Lex couldn't help but allow the smile to break free as he read the last line of the article. "Police have turned up no suspects in the campaign of harassment against Principal Terrance Reynolds." 

Contentment settled over him like a shroud. Maybe Clark loving him this much wasn't such a bad thing after all. 

End 


End file.
